Lang Lang grows a brand
NewsThe Chinese pianist was today named global ambassador for Dior. He was previously just its representative in China.
The classical superstar has long-standing ties to luxury conglomerate LVMH Moët Hennessy Louis Vuitton, which owns Dior alongside a galaxy of other brands spanning fashion, beauty, watches and jewelry, and wines and spirits.
He’s been a brand ambassador for watchmaker Hublot since 2015, and performed at the Louis Vuitton show last June that marked the debut of Pharrell Williams as creative director of menswear at the brand.
This is what Lang Lang does these days. He’s not much interested in making music, or world peace.
pictured: Lang Lang’s new touched-up Dior image
Renaud and Gautier Capuçon are going to be furious: so much money they won’t get!
Not much interested in making music? Strange – his schedule over the next four months has 30 concerts in major venues in Germany, North America and France. Seems to be mostly French piano concertos (Ravel, Saint-Saens) and Schumann/Chopin recitals.
I’ll be holding my ears.
Haters gonna hate…..let the guy live his own amazing, interesting life and do whatever he wants!
Lang Lang represents everything that is wrong with classical music. Quite an achievement for a Chinese performer. He clouds the profile for every serious performer from China.
Like being globally popular? Like not disdaining light music while still giving concerts of ‘serious’ works? Like associating classical music with high-quality merchandise?
The point is – clearly visible – that running classical music not as an art but as a business is falsifying the art form and giving the wrong signal to anybody who otherwise would have been interested.
https://www.cambridgescholars.com/product/978-1-5275-5314-9
I appreciate your point of view. But if somebody does not take care of the business side of art, how will performers exist? If artists are going to feed, clothe, and house themselves, filthy lucre has to change hands. Musical impresarios date back at least to the eighteenth century. Perhaps it was better when only aristocrats and/or the church handled these matters for musicians. Should we return to the seventeenth century (you might say yes!)?
It’s not the fact that there is a financial side to the art form, but the way it’s handled where problems arise. Since classical music became a public art form, as it developed from the 18C onwards, the tensions between content and form have created many different forms of solution. Where it was turned into a business, things went wrong. Becasue it is NOT a business. Not everything that costs money, is a business – this is capitalist thinking.
As comedian Henny Youngman used to say (in Yiddish): “Nem di gelt.” Loosely translated: grab the money.
Of course, he has every right to earn as much money as he wants, as he can. But I cringe when I see multi-millionaire (billionaire?) movie stars or athletes doing silly TV commercials but there they are. Feeds their egos, I suppose.
Brands solicit famous people, who have the attention of a large audience, in the sole hope of enlarging their sales. (Or, in rarer cases, improving their image). Stars of screen, sport and, occasionally, classical as well as popular music, tend to disdain this exercise but understand it. They are entitled to demand whatever the market will bear for this service.
Many, including Lang Lang, use some of these personal earnings to plough into causes they believe in. I still remember Sandra Bullock doing a benefit shortly after 9/11 to which many stars were eager to join in. She said “nobody should enter this room without a million-dollar cheque in their hands.”
Not making music? He has 32 concerts left this season up to July, his new album with Andris Nelsons releases on 1 March, he’s performing with Franz Welser-Most, Cleveland Orchestra, Dudamel, on tour with Thielmann, he is opening for Carnegie Hall, LA Phil, Boston amongst others, how is it ok spreading rumours like that?
Disney and Dior, I’m trying to wrap my head around that.
Is Lang Lang required to wear an Hublot watch on one wrist and a Mickey Mouse watch on the other?
Or is Dior coming out with a diamond encrusted Mickey Mouse Limited Edition?
It is catering to the Chinese consumers who often visit Disney with a Dior bag.
It’s true they all carry luxury designer bags, both Chinese men and women.
Everyone is interesting in making their “brand” these days. Few are interested in just being great at what they do, and letting the “brand” make itself.
Can you imagine Richter worrying about his “brand”?
I don’t blame him for keeping quiet about world peace.
Very inaccurate and unfair reporting. What agenda do you have to ignore the work of the Lang Lang Foundation, with its global educational and charitable pursuits? https://langlangfoundation.org/
Well, he did mention that on his appearance on BBC Breakfast (28 Feb) plugging the latest series of “The Piano” where he said the pianists would be playing wider genres of music and be from more diverse backgrounds. But I wondered why he was wearing a “T” shirt with a stand-up collar bearing the name “Dior”. Now I know. The BBC loves giving free advertising to all manner of things. Other brands are available…
Any heard his horrid Goldberg?
Good news is Yundi has come back in top form!
And what exactly would you like Lang Lang to do to promote world peace? Support the genocide of Palestinians?
Maybe not my favorite pianist, but it is very plausible that this will cause more people to listen to classical music. And that is all to the good.
Selling a product with wrapping paper that belies its content will not create a wider audience: people will be disappointed when they get to know the real nature of what they bought.
It is something like a youngster who is gravely disappointed to discover that Brahms is not sounding at all like heavy metal.
Hey John I thought you’re a serious composer? But you seem to be composing more SD posts than music ;-D ;-D ;-D
You say! But don’t worry, he’s dictating them to me over the intercom during fermatas.
Sally
Poor Lang Lang and Yuja Wang could never ever dream of the coverage offered to Yundi Li.
Somebody likes Lang Lang. Who knew? Jokes aside, he’s been a huge success and good luck to him! The loss of his childhood is being compensated.
I thought it read, “grows a beard.” Doesn’t look like he can, though.