Pianist Lang Lang to celebrate anniversary with concert marathon

Chinese star pianist Lang Lang in Vienna on Friday announced plans for a special celebration of his 20-year stage jubilee, with the 25-year-old performing ten concerts in Beijing from September 20 to October 25. Among the conductors performing with him will be Lang Lang's teacher Daniel Barenboim, Charles Dutoit and his countryman Long Yu on a programme including Mozart, Beethoven, Brahms, Rachmaninov and Chopin. The child prodigy rose to international fame in 1999, when he acted as a last-minute substitute at the Illinois Ravinia Festival. Since then he has performed with almost all major orchestras. His recording of a concert at Carnegie Hall became a smash hit. Lang Lang's style however polarizes. He was favourably compared to Vladimir Horowitz on the one hand, but his style was repeatedly under fire for being unrefined or heavy handed. Critics also said he was immature or lacked the empathy of playing, for example, Mozart. Speaking to journalists in Vienna, the young star admitted he was aware of the dangers of burn out that his current lifestyle engendered. But, at the end of the day, he wanted to be a great pianist, Lang Lang said. Therefore it was worth the strain. The pianist also announced his intention to perform with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra at an open-air concert at Vienna's Schoenbrunn Palace on June 28, 2008 for an audience of approximately 14,000 people. On the following day, the final of the Euro 2008 football championships takes place in the Austrian capital. dpa im fu mga