Leyla Gu was born in 1992 in the Republic of China. In 2017, she moved to Italy to pursue her studies and was admitted to the Accademia del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence, where she studied from April to July 2017. From February to October 2018, she continued her training at the Accademia del Teatro Regio in Parma, and in 2021 she graduated with a Biennial degree from the Conservatorio “Arrigo Boito” in Parma.

Beginning in 2022, she commenced her doctoral studies under baritone ChangYong Liao, President of the Shanghai Conservatory of Music. She is currently continuing her studies in Italy with baritone Roberto Servile.

Since 2014, she has performed a variety of operatic roles: Pamina in Die Zauberflöte and Mimì in La Bohème in both Beijing and Rome; the Countess in Le nozze di Figaro at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center, conducted by Umberto Finazzi and directed by Marco Gandini; and Mozart’s Exsultate, Jubilate K165 at the Second Shanghai Baroque Festival, with conductor David Stern at the Shanghai Symphony Orchestra Concert Hall.

In 2018, she was soprano soloist in Verdi’s Requiem at the Fondazione Cariplo Auditorium in Milan under the baton of Oleg Caetani. In January 2019, she sang Donna Anna in Don Giovanni at the ZiBo Theatre in China with conductor Alessandro d’Agostini. In July 2019, she starred as Violetta in La Traviata in Empoli, Grosseto, and Perugia under the direction of Roberto Gianola.

At the 2019 Verdi Festival, she performed the role of Pisana in I due Foscari, conducted by Paolo Arrivabeni and directed by Leo Muscato. She also covered the title role in Luisa Miller, with conductor Roberto Abbado and director Lev Dodin.

She made her debut as Cio-Cio San in Madama Butterfly aboard the G. Garibaldi aircraft carrier, which premiered on June 22, 2024, an unprecedented performance on the flight deck of a naval vessel. On June 19, 2025, she debuted as Amelia in Simon Boccanegra aboard the Amerigo Vespucci in La Spezia, Italy, with conductor Stefano Gialoli and director Paolo Panizza.

Over the years, Leyla Gu has distinguished herself in numerous international competitions, earning recognition for both her vocal talent and artistic interpretation. In 2024, she won First Prize at the San Colombano International Competition and was awarded First Prize at the prestigious XXII Opera Competition held at the Fraschini Theatre in Pavia; she was honored with Second Prize and the Special Prize for Best Female Voice at the Voce Verdiana International Competition in Busseto; and she secured First Prize at the 15th International Competition for Young Lyric Voices “Flaviano Labò”.

Among her earlier accolades, she received First Prize at the 2018 “Italy Young Talents for Lyric” Competition, and Third Prize along with the Lions Special Prize "Umberto Giordano" at the Andrea Chénier International Opera Competition for the best interpretation of an aria by Giordano. That same year, she was also awarded Third Prize at both the Santa Gianna Beretta Spring Competition and the Golden Willow International Lyric Competition.

In 2017, she was selected for the Rolex Scholarship to attend the Georg Solti Academy Summer Course, a significant achievement, as she was the only singer chosen from the entire People’s Republic of China during auditions held at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Beijing.

August 2025