Relay Column: Is the Piano a Medium of Dress Discipline? – Performative Practice of Yuja Wang & Gen Hirano (Rei Haimachi)

The video mentioned at the beginning features the Beijing-born pianist Yuja Wang performing the 3rd movement of Prokofiev's "Piano Sonata No. 8" (1944). Her performance showcases a clear touch with a flicking finger technique that shines particularly in handling rapid note repetitions and repeated motifs. Yuja Wang's lively playing style pairs well with Prokofiev's crisp piano music. However, I would like to revisit a topic that has been mentioned ad nauseam regarding Yuja Wang: her stage attire. Although the situation has gradually changed, female performers, especially soloists, often wear evening dresses or similarly formal attire at concerts categorized as classical music. This custom can be seen as both an aspiration and an oppression for emerging artists.

However, Yuja Wang’s fashion is somewhat different from that of typical soloists. As evident in the video above, her dresses are often quite revealing (or appear to be so), and the materials are glossy. She is known to love Christian Louboutin shoes, which seem to make pedaling difficult due to their high and slender heels. In essence, her clothing resembles an opera stage costume, embodying a sense of excess as a form of presentation.