Piano prince comes to city

By Lu Feiran  |   2008-6-7  |     NEWSPAPER EDITION

PIANIST Li Yundi is expected to hold a concert at the Shanghai Oriental Art Center on June 20 with the Rotterdam Philharmonic Orchestra.

The 26-year-old "prince of piano," who was born in Chongqing, was most famous for his narration of Chopin's masterpieces. Despite his music achivements, Li was also popular for his good looks and artistic temperament.

Some of the Li's female fans said Li resembled the Japanese movie and TV star Takuya Kimura. Even Kelly Chen, a Hong Kong movie star, said Li was "the classical version of Kimura."

Li, however, didn't care for his face much nor agree with the comparison. "I don't think I look like Kimura," he once said. "We are absolutely different types."

Li started playing piano when he was four. He said he didn't know why he was fond of classical music at that time, but was truly obssessed. "It's a kind of physical reflection," he said.

Although he sometimes felt exhausted after a long period of playing, the fatigue doesn't prevent him from pursuing the music.

Li isn't averse to commercial performances. He believes classical music will find its way in such performances. And even masters such as Luciano Pavarroti and Herbert von Karajan wouldn't have reached almost every corner of the world without commercial performances, he once said.