Lavinia Dames was born in Göttingen, Germany and began her first singing lessons at the age of 11. In 2006, she was a student of professor Gerhard Faulstich at the University of Music, Drama and Media in Hanover, Germany as part of the university’s “Junior Music Studies” program. In 2007, she was elected as a student of the “Institute for the Early Advancement of the Musically Highly Gifted (IFF)“.

In 2010, Lavinia continued her studies at University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna with professor Gabriele Lechner and professor Peter Edelmann. She graduated with distinction in 2014.

Lavinia’s awards include a prize at the Cantilena singing competition in Bayreuth in 2009 and the International Ferruccio Tagliavini Competition in 2012. 2011, she won the first prize of the “Internationales Kärntner Sparkassen Musikstipendium“ in the operetta discipline. In addition, she received the audience award.

Lavinia attended several Masterclasses including “Sabbioneta” with professor Edda Moser and professor Renato Bruson. She has also attended masterclasses taught by KS Catarina Ligendza, professor Rudolf Piernay, professor KS Wolfgang Brendel, professor Hans Sotin, professor Ritterbusch and professor Gabriele Lechner.

The young soprano’s first stage experiences included the “Flower girl” and the “Second Squire” in Parsifal at the Richard Wagner Festival in Wels and as “Daniel” in Händel’s Susanna at the Palace Theater Schönbrunn. Additional roles at Schönbrunn included “Susanna” in Le nozze di Figaro in 2012 and 2013 and “Pamina” in the Magic Flute for Children.

Other notable performances include “Euridice” in Glucks Orfeo ed Euridice and “Jungfrau” in Schumann’s oratorio Das Paradies und die Peri in the Mozartsaal of the Wiener Konzerthaus.

In addition, Lavinia has performed in numerous concerts including Haydns Die Schöpfung, several performances with the Symphonic Orchestra Göttingen and the Dortmunder Philarmonics, an operatic gala concert at the Carintischer Sommer 2012 and a recital with the Bruno Walter Symposium at the Vienna Musikverein.

In February 2014, Lavinia sang “La Contessa di Ceprano”, “Giovanna” and “Paggio della Duchessa” in Verdi’s “Rigoletto” at the State Theatre of Voralberg, Austria.

Since the opera season 2014/15, Lavinia has been a full-time member of the ensemble of Deutsche Oper am Rhein in Düsseldorf where she sings roles like “Susanna” in Le nozze di Figaro, “Stasi” in Die Csardasfürstin, “Gretel” and “Pamina”. In March 2015 she gives her debut as “Lauretta” in Puccinis Gianni Schicchi at the Komische Oper Berlin.