After two years’ enforced silence, Yundi Li makes a quiet comeback
NewsIn October 2021, China’s Chopin Competition winner Yundi Li was arrested in Beijing, accused of accosting a female prostitute in an alley. The charge was clearly trumped-up, but Yundi was immediately taken off all Chinese stages and media and prevented from going abroad.
It looks like the total ban is now over.
Yundi has just completed a no-fanfare Mozart tour of Australia.
He performed at Adelaide Town Hall on 28 October, Brisbane QPAC on 1 November, Sydney Opera House 4 November and Melbourne Palais Theatre 5 November. Without promotion, some events were sparsely attended. However, we understand that he sold out the Sydney Opera House. Not one Australian newspaper bothered to review his recitals.
Yundi posted a Chopin encore on his social media:
Welcome back, Yundi. We’ve missed you.
The lack of audiences was probably a result of his appalling Chopin First Concerto performance with the Sydney Symphony on tour in Seoul around 2015. He was so bad he was repeating phrases, jumping ahead and then he and the orchestra had to stop. The Korea Times called the performance “calamitous” and “nothing short of disastrous.”
He then posted on his Facebook page a photo of himself in a Halloween costume with the caption, “I’m gonna freak you out tomorrow!”
Why his management even considered Australia for a tour after that debacle is unbelievable.
1) The part “sparsely attended” is very wrong and a total opposite to the actual performance so your conclusion is based on something falseful. I am putting on a separate comment to correct it. 2) Not sure if you followed the report in slippeddisc on this 2015 Korean event. The orchestra principal and manager stood out clarified the facts because there were lots of misled information and falsified accusations in the original Korean news report , who tried to hard to grab attention using the headline terms you quoted. 3) It is hard to believe a 2015 accident would stop people from watching his performance for the next 8 years. As far as I know, he did tour worldwide with good atttendance till the pandemic.
In any case, it is old news.
New news is that he is back on form — as we can hear in the Instagram post.
Oh my god, every musician, no matter how great they are, have mishaps. Even Martha had a memory lapse once during a performance of Prokofiev’s 3rd. The public isn’t all bitter and resentful like you. Apparently, you would not attend someone’s concert 8 years later because of one unfortunate performance, and good for you. It’s your loss, but stop projecting please.
And yet… people are still attending concerts given by Pollini and many others. If you are Australian, you will be well aware of the clique amongst the state orchestras which impacts their selection of soloists they will invite as much as what they can/cannot afford to bring here. All the great soloists have bad days, all of them.
We all love Yundi Li because he is one of the most greatest pianists throughout the world. It is immoral of you to frame Mr. Li. Gentlemen have to be doing what we have, rather than not good for small, small and not evil it!
Good for him and hear hear: “Welcome back, Yundi. We’ve missed you.” So kind!
Thank you for your righteous words in stating that his charge was “clearly trumped-up”. The injustice he suffered may never be vindicated, but whoever tell the truth to the world is always respected.
Yundi’s Australia tour was in fact a huge hit, nearly sold out in every city. Even the choir seats in Sydney were packed. The above photo taken hours before the performance could be misleading though.
Dear Mr Norman, I cannot believe you jumped to the conclusion “sparsely attended” using a photo prior the the concert start. Yundi posted the video in his weibo account: https://weibo.com/2103206685/NrjaaElqJ?refer_flag=1001030103_ and it clearly showed full attendance even with the choir area.
It is clear that his countryman has trust in his level of performance as well as his innocence. The overwhelming number of audience attendance is showing their support, that may be one reason for “lack of promotion”. I do agree the part that he needs better promotion!
Glad to see Yundi back.
An extremely underrated pianist who for some reason does not seem to fit into the Zeitgeist’s media machine. As for the 2015 incident, I’d settle any day for a performer who has something to say and who therefore remains vulnerable vs. an invincible set of fingers with vacuous musicianship. That’s the problem today — we have become so allergic to the very notion of remaining human (and therefore prone to mistakes) that we have fostered a musical culture obsessed with perfection and devoid of any meaningful substance.
Performances competing with recordings. Simple occupational hazard.
Here is a photo taken before the concert started. More late comers poured at the end of the first piece. https://sm.ms/image/ZqPtyrgKGY8fbRp
More audience photos from his Instagram post
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzakvPJv4xj/?igshid=NTc4MTIwNjQ2YQ==
All four concerts were packed indeed. Look forward to his recitals in Musikverein and Theater Champselyeese in 2024!
As a Chinese, I would like to correct some of Norman’s reporting. After winning the Chopin Competition, he became a national hero and well-known in China. He gradually forgot that he was a classical musician and instead chose to participate in a large number of variety shows to make money. In a country of 1.4 billion people, it is obviously more profitable to use fame to participate in TV shows and endorse products than to hold piano concerts. The large amount of commercial activities made it almost impossible for him to practice, so the quality of his performances declined sharply. At the same time, because he is a national hero, he has a huge fan base, just like Van Cliburn to American. Because there are too many fans, sometimes he needed to perform in a stadium. At that time, continuing to hold world-class concerts was just to prove to the Chinese market and his fans that he was still a respected musician internationally, so there were disastrous performances in South Korea.
As for his arrest for prostitution, I do not know if the Chinese authorities deliberately arrested him. However, I should mention that the Chinese police generally arrest people through bank transfer records (China is basically a cashless society, and the price of buying a prostitute is over $300, but the largest denomination of paper money is about $15(¥100), so it is impossible to trade in cash). Because buying and selling prostitution are illegal in China. So the police will regularly conduct raids, and then arrest the clients with the phone payment records of the prostitutes. This also led to his arrest.
For his fans, considering his age of nearly 40 years old and his fame, they can understand that it is unlikely for him to maintain an intimate relationship and needs ways to satisfy his male desires. However, because the Chinese government and society have zero tolerance for artists with bad records, he lost all TV shows, endorsements, and any opportunities to perform in China (even if the theater invited him to perform, it would be afraid of being retaliated by the strictly adhering to Puritan moral rules of the public and the government). As for his choice to hold a performance in Australia, I think it is because Australia has a large Chinese community and Chinese students. At the same time, I need to point out that the ticket price for the performance was very expensive, with the highest seat at $200, and all seats around $100 were sold out), and there were a large number of Chinese audiences.
I am glad that the majority of his overseas countryman had different judgement than you. People in the freeland outside mainland do have more channels to find information excluded from the government censorship and rumors.
I have attended multiple concerts by Yundi, both in mainland China and oversea. If it matters to you, I do live in your ‘freeland’ and have access to ‘channels to find information’, if not more than that.
I’d love to know what information you could share with my fellow countrymen (who obviously all live under rocks, only get dragged out by karma police to watch daily CCTV news to get brainwashed), so that they’re honored to share your ‘different judgement’ on this topic than what Zhang said.
Glad to share. I posted it before under the thread https://slippedisc.com/2022/12/korean-pianists-are-so-nice-about-each-other/ and here i am reposting.
Yundi’s 2021 case was most likely framed due to his refusal to collaborate with the government on certain matters. The set up was absurd:
– a 29 year old prostitute whose only business is with Yundi (per Beijing police record)
– public announcement made on the final day of Chopin competition
– CCP party statement of “Those with sins must die” regarding Yundi
– along with the side evidence from FBI’s investigation (Link to FBI record was posted by others in the comments, check it out).
– CCP party’s long history of granting such blame to “problematic” people (e.g. Professors from Tsinghua Univ, free-lance writers, etc).
Many believe that Yundi was innocent (Including me). His Dec 6th “comeback” video on President Jiang’s death got thousands of comments in couple of hours.
From my point of view, his best recordings were his last three- Chopin Preludes, Chopin Ballads, Chopin Piano concertos #1&2 as conductor and soloist. His Preludes CD was selected by WFMT as one of the Chopin “must haves”. He was definitely not on the decline. However, he is not one to perform 100+ concerts and 20+ concertos per season, and perhaps never will.
90% or over are ethnic Chinese, right? From the photos available online it seems so. The organizer was a music school teaching kids instruments. So, let’s not to get overly excited. As so far few reputable musical organization has invited him back yet. As for how he played, few outsiders know. The video clips available is substandard. And, most importantly, there is any professional music critics at the scene. All we read are bunch fan girls posts from Weibo. If one digs a little deeper, one may notice that many accounts exist for one reason only and there were only one type of topic and personal involved. All these can be easily seen if one reads Chinese. But for those who don’t, sadly they can only be left in dark. So, too early to tell, next year, some European folks may judge by themselves when he plays in Paris and Vienna.
It is very true that Yundi has spent his precious time in mainland China for the past years and the appreciation to his effort of promoting classic music in China is deeply rooted. He travelled country side with his own piano and earned little with such tour, versus making some expensive piano sales and lessons. Check out the comments in his douyin and WeChat channels, he earned respect from fans from all genders and across different ages.
I personally don’t think it is a wise decision for him to settle in a country with such autocracy government body and sadly his own experience proved it.
Yes he needs to prove himself in the upcoming European concert hall after being absent for the past 3 years. Looking forward to his tour and welcome back !
@Backhome – I really do not know where you picked this up – “It is very true that Yundi has spent his precious time in mainland China for the past years and the appreciation to his effort of promoting classic music in China is deeply rooted. He travelled country side with his own piano and earned little with such tour,.” He never ever earned “little”. Like Lang Lang when he was touring China after his Chopin win he earned huge fees and sums from endorsements.
But that did not last many years as he more or less gave up touring in China, favoring instead appearances on popular variety tv shows. From around 2008-2010 something happened in his personality where it seemed as though classical music meant a great deal less to him. He did do a 30 recital tour around China in 2013 but a mark of his fall from grace is these were all in second and third tier cities. None in Beijing, Shanghai or Guangzhou.
More recently he seems to have recovered his desire to become a major international soloist again. Let us all hope so.
So it seems you know very little about Yundi though you enjoyed talking about what he did.
Let’s stay on the fact. FACT is Yundi held 66 concerts and toured in mainland China in the year of 2019. He travelled with his own piano and professional music worker to hold the qualify of the performance and His concerts reached far into the small cities.
Per:
https://www.warnerclassics.com/artist/yundi
“Since June 2019, YUNDI started his 100-recital world tour, called YUNDI·SONATA, including over 60 cities in China and 40 cities overseas”
The pandemic followed immediately in 2020 and he had to cancel the world tour.
Show me that he earned big money from this tour.
He used to earn big money through POP reality TV shows pre his arrest. OK, don’t pretend he is poor. As for his planned tour pre Covid, non of those were through major musical organization which book other classical musicians as well. So, his tour was more of self planned and promoted one. For onething, he toured Canada playing concertos with local freelance musicians intead of reputable symphony orchestras there. So, you can see the situation he is in. He needs a come back by his play and his play only. If the quality is up to the standard, even say, at his pre 2008 level, I am pretty sure more engagement will come. Just it is not now, he is not ready yet. Let’s wait and see. And there is no need for you or anybody else to find excuse for him. Let him be what he feels confortable.
Don’t bother with these blind fans who lack the most basic curiosity of the views of those who are actually knowledgeable. This site is not representative of your typical classical discussion forum. It is essentially a MAGA group that happens to like classical music. Let them be.
You clearly do not read before commenting on other posts. What I wrote was “He never ever earned “little”. Like Lang Lang when he was touring China after his Chopin win he earned huge fees and sums from endorsements.”
Note “when he was touring China after his Chopin win.” I then added that something happened to him and his career post-2008. As Zhang correctly pointed out he spent long periods of time away from concerts and recitals, and I should add lost recording contracts and managements, and made pots of money on cheap reality tv shows. In 2019 he financed and promoted his own tour and no doubt earned little. So please compare like with like – and read!
In fact, he performed 66 sonata recitals in China in 2019, repertoire including Rachmaninoff, Schumann and Chopin. However, he had to pause his remaining 34 overseas recitals scheduled when the COVID-19 hit, occasionally participating in some TV shows (which was permitted in China during the COVID-19 period). Moreover, Yundi fans were aware that he was ready to start a new round of recitals tour in November 2021. Specifically, the claim that he didn’t perform in Beijing, Shanghai, or Guangzhou is completely false; he almost always includes one or two of these cities in every tour.
Zhang is absolutely correct! As for the Seoul concert debacle, some posters here seem to think it was a mere slip that can affect all solo pianists. That is nonsense! What happened in Seoul and his actions thereafter were a total disgrace! End of story!
As for his activities in China, there was a time when he earned humongous fees for concerts and recitals, vastly more than he would ever have received anywhere in the west. Then he started to throw his fame away with dubious tv appearances and other non-musical activities. There was a much commented on relationship with a Taiwan mega-pop star who quickly got married! That did not put an end to endless rumours over 8 years especially when the Taiwan star then divorced. The singer’s ex-wife even commented on the affair in overseas media. In other countries this would attract perhaps one mention in a gossip magazine? Chinese social media, though, laps up everything approaching scandal and was abuzz with this relationship for years. The prostitute affair was largely a result of his name and number being on a prostitute’s phone and this led to his admission about the assignation.
His career in the west has not kept pace with what was certainly once great artistry. DGG dropped him and he was left financing his own recordings made in China which EMI agreed to release. The sad fact is that his name is still toxic as a result of his own actions. We can only hope that he has exorcised whatever demons have directed his life in recent years and he will soon return to the great artist he once was.
Leaving comments about his love life under a pianist’s comeback post won’t earn you any brownie points. Whether it’s gossip or the real deal, Yundi comes across as the one who’s “reasonable, legitimate, no guilt on his conscience” in this relationship with Taiwanese mega-pop star. Due to his bold choices, he’s faced unnecessary attacks and humiliations for years in China, including this recent scandal. Let’s hope all these struggles add some depth to his life and music.
Everything you say is intentionally negatively directed and has nothing to do with Yundi’s playing on his Mozart sonata tour. I see that there are already comments refuting these rumors one by one. It is totally irresponsible and unethical to attack a pianist with false gossip and brainwashing blackmail that has nothing to do with music. I hope you have the time to listen to him live on this tour instead of focusing on spreading rumors all the time.
Yundi Li has always been committed to promoting classical music to Chinese audiences as well as introducing traditional Chinese music to the world. His previous tours also went to many second and third tier or even smaller cities in China with great sincerity until the outbreak of the epidemic forced him to stop. This is completely different from the practice of some pianists who go through the motions with their families to make a name for themselves.
Love and music are better than hate and ignorance.
Since you are Chinese, I believe you can read the following article. Although he made a mistake in his Korean performance in 2015, he suffered undeserved attacks and rumors. This article was written to set the record straight and was published in mainstream Chinese media. Please speak rationally.
https://m.weibo.cn/status/3905121538311414
You sound like a very rational piece of garbage.
Nice to see this news about Yundi Li, whose work I enjoy very much.
‘The charge was clearly trumped-up’
Mind elaborate?
https://www.justice.gov/opa/pr/five-individuals-charged-variously-stalking-harassing-and-spying-us-residents-behalf-prc-0
“Lin also requested that the PI unearth derogatory information about the Victim or, if no such information could be found, “manufacture something, like what happened to [a famous concert pianist (the Pianist)]?” That request referred to an incident in Beijing in which the Pianist was reportedly detained after allegedly being found in the company of a prostitute. “
“Welcome back Yundi! We’ve missed you.” Got this same feeling so bad. Send me to the moon that Yundi has got plan for Europe tour playing Mozart next spring.
As a matter of fact, the description ‘be sparsely attended’ is totally against the truth. In fact, Yundi’s Australia concert tour, from Adelaide to Melbourne, every concert was filled with music lovers who love and care about him. There were even a lot of music lovers far from other countries, just flew to Australia for Yundi. Which can be seen from the site photos and videos posted by the music lovers and Yundi himself on the social media, like Weibo, Facebook, X, Instagram.
Yes indeed all four concerts were nearly sold out. Your photo and misinformation needs to be corrected.
Obviously, Yandi’s return is not what everyone wants to see, such as his old opponents. As usual, they spend a lot of time and energy studying Yandi’s every move and make random unfounded comments in an attempt to mislead the public. The long-winded comment above is a good example.
Trumped up charges… what was the reason? Who was out to inconvenience him?
The unjust treatment Yundi received is generally believed to be related to the strong appreciation he received from China’s former leader, Jiang Zemin, who passed away about a year later. Those in power often use specific cases as a warning to others.
I don’t know if this is a good comparison, Robert. I once lived in another communist country, Vietnam and had the police burst into my hotel room early in the morning ‘looking for someone.’
No comparison. Why should there be as they are different countries?
One can easily imagine the insane jealousy that Yundi’s international success generated in China, and in a country where corruption thrives, he probably naively refused to pay bribes (or send “gifts”) to some powerful folks who wanted a piece of the action. Sex scandals are in fact a common revenge weapon against uncooperative celebrities in China. Let’s wait patiently – Yundi may one day decide to tell his side of this story. In the meantime, let’s be grateful that he is performing again.
Jerome A. Cohen, a New York University law professor specializing in the Chinese law, called the “lack of transparency” about his case “concerning”, noting that prostitution is a “time-honored Communist Party claim against political opponents”. On 16 March 2022, the US Department of Justice released a document [66] that includes a detail suggesting “the derogatory information regarding the Pianist may have been manufactured”. Multiple news sources[67][68] reported that “the Pianist” is an apparent reference to Li Yundi.
Wow… it’s amazing to see the comments. Li is still able to stir up something.
Don’t know how much he practiced during the hiatus but it is a known fact that no major orchestras or concert halls would invite Li as a soloist in years before he was arrested, after a series of disastrous “mishaps” obviously due to lack of practicing. And he seemed quite enjoyed the life as a TV celebrity instead of a concert pianist.
Zhang,
it’s very reassuring to know that there are places in the world where a successful pianist can become a national hero
Love love love to see Yundi comes back standing strong, after suffering so much oppression, crime framing, and public shaming from the current government of a country he loves so dearly. Like what a fellow commenter nicely summarized already, if one digs into details of the charges, especially the magnitude, and use of wording of the report of the alleged crime, you know the charge is beyond obsurd. It tells you it is clearly a political act against him. It was later evidenced by a report by a document from DOJ of the US, which you can find on Yundi’s wiki page. Nonetheless, my point is, it is so nice to see that all of these experience, which could easily destroy anyone else in his position, did not destroy Yundi, not as the haters wished. Haters gonna hate, you can’t change that. The experience will only give Yundi’s music more sophisticated colors, as he will tell his story through his touch of the music. You can already hear that through his Mozart performance – He is no longer just a prodigy who is the youngest champion of the International Chopin Piano Competition in history, he is a mature pianist with depth, with sotries. These stories only make him more legendary.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CzakvPJv4xj/?img_index=5
What the picture you posted shows is a far cry from the actual attendance rate. Yundi’s Mozart sonata is so unparalleled and unique.
Had the pleasure of listening to the very touching Mozart in Sydney! Yundi’ s playing was excellent and impressive. Hope to hear Yundi’s Mozart album soon.
Yundi, you are the best in my heart. Thanks for your comeback. Love you forever.
For those who don’t like him or know how to appreciate a fine artist, why can’t you just simply get lost. Nobody care about your opinion about him. People come here to enjoy his music, not the smell of your bad mouths.