Beyond touching our souls with every finger on the piano and being transcended by her scores, pianist Yuja Wang defies the sobriety expected of her profession. During her performances on the international stage, she appears in outfits that challenge the "prudish" dress code of classical music. With dresses featuring slits or covered in sequins, she readily abandons the pencil skirt and pristine blouse combination.
Short outfits that stand out from the classic world
Most pianists who take their places at their instrument of choice wear impeccable suits or discreet outfits, reflecting a certain modesty. They refrain from any visual eccentricity to blend into this very austere setting. The women seem destined to wear the little black dress with its demure cut and simple details, while the men must make do with a dark turtleneck or a shirt that screams purity.
Yuja Wang, however, doesn't have the austere look often attributed to classical musicians. No neatly pulled-up pussy-bow blouse or straight skirt that, under the guise of decency, covers the thighs and extends past the knee. This 30-year-old virtuoso , who entered the Central Conservatory of Music in Beijing at the age of seven, makes a lot of noise, and not just with her hands. She defies the pervasive monotony of the opera house with outfits that are the epitome of coquettishness. Let's just say: nobody bosses her around!
With her wild hair, streaks dyed plum or purple, and shoes worthy of Lady Gaga, Yuja Wang has a striking look. Her silhouette is defined by gravity-defying outfits and fabrics that reveal more than they hint at. Her music is full of color and texture, perfectly in tune with her fresh and fiery style. Whether in a bright orange mini-dress for the Hollywood Bowl, a shimmering fuchsia dress cut off at the thigh for the Kimmel Center concert in the United States, or a micro-dress with an open back at the Sun Valley Pavilion, Yuja Wang never lacks panache.
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Dresses that are an ode to freedom of dress.
Often called the Mugler of opera, she lives her art with rare intensity and has always been immersed in a creative world. A world where freedom of expression is not an option, but a state of mind, a driving force. Born to a dancer mother and a percussionist father, she discovered a gift for the piano. It's a passion that has been with her since she was six years old.
She began playing Chopin at an age when children struggle to string words together. The little girl with pigtails and a puffy dress gradually blossomed into a mischievous, dazzling, almost intimidating artist. This prodigy, whose talent resonates far beyond her own borders, speaks the language of music theory perfectly, but also that of fashion. She is convinced that her outfit sets the tone and lends resonance to her melodies.
Each outfit reflects her energy of the moment and harmonizes with her gestures, brimming with emotion. “If the music is beautiful and sensual, why not dress accordingly?” she replies, almost philosophically, to The Guardian when asked about her wardrobe choices. While more and more pianists are changing their approach to their bodies out of rebellion or weariness, Yuja Wang offers a performance that is as much to be listened to as it is to be watched. She proves that one can honor the artistic genius of Brahms and Beethoven in a tight dress, rhinestones, and oversized shoes. That classical music can coexist with modernity.
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His music soothes the soul, but not his dress code
With her signature style and undeniable eccentricity, Yuja Wang has not only garnered praise in the music world. She has struck a chord with opera purists. Many reactionaries have raised their voices and reacted vehemently to her stylistic displays .
In 2011, during her performance at the Hollywood Bowl, music critic Mark Swed was uncompromising about her coral dress, almost considering it a sartorial sin. "If it had been less short, the Bowl might have been forced to ban unaccompanied minors under 18," he wrote in the Los Angeles Times. Two years later, Jay Nordlinger, a critic for the New Criterion, echoed this sentiment, going so far as to compare the artist's red dress to a "striptease outfit."
While such outfits are almost the norm in the pop world, in the classical realm they sound almost impolite, even shameful. Pianists are expected to adhere to a bland, insipid, and soporific dress code when their hands say the exact opposite. The 2006 Gilmore Young Artist Award winner, who turns everything she touches to gold, demonstrates precision and discipline in other ways besides her attire. And that's enough.
Yuja Wang has no intention of abandoning sequins and whimsical pieces. On the contrary, this is what defines her identity, and far from stifling her talent, her outfits amplify it.
