She's Calling the Tune

The Peak heads to Milan to meet superstar pianist and Rolex Testimonee Yuja Wang, who gives us a candid view of her craft, her flamboyant style, and what female empowerment means to her.

- CHARMIAN LEONG

It is a fine fall afternoon in Milan, and superstar pianist Yuja Wang is remembering the first time she performed in the Italian city’s legendary opera house, Teatro Alla Scala (also known as La Scala). With a throaty laugh, the 36-year-old musician recalls the concert held in 2009, where she performed a Profokiev concerto with conductor Antonio Pappano and the Filarmonica della Scala: “I definitely remember my debut here. Years ago, with Pappano. I didn’t know purple was unlucky, and of course, I wore purple.”

Leave it to the Beijing-born pianist, who has been based in New York since 21, to have a sartorial memory of that career milestone. Wang, who began playing the piano at age six and made her European debut at 16, is known as much for her powerful and dazzling performances as for the flamboyant outfits she wears on stage. “What I wear does make a difference,” she muses, reflecting on how she chooses her outfits to reflect her mood and what she desires to convey about certain compositions. “In a concert, the visual is part of the experience.”

Invited by Rolex, The Peak was in Milan in October to attend Wang’s performance of the TurangalîlaSymphonie by Olivier Messiaen, alongside Australian conductor Simone Young, ondes Martenot player Cécile Lartigau and the Filarmonica della Scala. Wang has been a Rolex Testimonee since 2009.

In a concert held the previous evening — the second of three scheduled performances — Wang had taken to the stage in a dress in a blazing shade of orange, accented with mesh-covered cut-outs and a crystal-studded neckline. The boldness of her outfit perfectly complemented the rousing performance of a milestone work in contemporary classical music.