The New York Times Review: Yuja Wang, Trying Comedy, Shows How Funny Virtuosity Can Be


The New York Times

“In all seriousness: What can’t Yuja Wang do?

This star pianist has built her reputation on breathtaking mastery of the standard repertory, like the chamber works she played last Wednesday with the violinist Leonidas Kavakos at Carnegie Hall. Or Robert Schumann’s Piano Concerto, which she’ll do with the Boston Symphony Orchestra later this week.

But in between those two dates, she stopped by Carnegie’s Zankel Hall on Monday for something entirely different: a comedy show. One with music, of course. And, as always, she was radiant in Rachmaninoff and Lutoslawski.

But there was — more.

She rapped! She sang and danced through a “West Side Story” medley! She did one-legged, upside-down yoga on a piano bench! And along the way, she never lost an ounce of virtuosity.”