Pianist Lang Lang replaced due to hand injury
Sir Simon Rattle, artistic director and chief conductor of Berliner Philharmoniker
Chinese pianist Wang Yujia will replace Lang Lang for Berliner Philharmoniker’s concerts, entitled “Borgward Music Night,” in Shanghai on November 16 and 17 due to a hand injury.
Wang will collaborate with Berliner Philharmoniker at Shanghai Oriental Art Center in Bartok’s “Piano Concerto No. 2,” known as a difficult piece to play.
“It is a pity that we will not have Lang Lang for the concert, but we are lucky to have Wang Yujia instead. Both are top Chinese pianists with excellent skills, albeit in different styles," said Sir Simon Rattle, artistic director and chief conductor of Berliner Philharmoniker. “Wang has more of a Russian and French style — she is definitely the best choice we can have (to replace Lang)."
This is the third time the orchestra, led by Sir Rattle, will perform in Shanghai since their first visit in 2005. The concerts will also be part of Rattle’s last season with the orchestra as artistic director.
Sir Rattle has deliberately picked some pieces from his “bucket list” to perform before his departure.
“Rachmaninov’s ‘Symphony No. 3’ is definitely one of the must-play before my leaving,” he said.
The list also includes Stravinsky’s “Petrouchka” and some short pieces commissioned by the orchestra in the last two years that Sir Rattle described “great dim sum” for the concerts.
