Wine, women and song: What it's like to be piano superstar Lang Lang

Lang Lang may play classical music, but he's definitely a rock star.

Sporting anti-gravity anime hair and Versace suits, Lang Lang (pronounced long-long) sure is the man. And he likes to party. But Lang Lang only drinks Coke, he says. Well, maybe red wine sometimes.

And the 27-year-old Chinese pianist has the skills. Inspired by a Tom and Jerry cartoon, Lang Lang has been playing since the age of 3. Since then, he's crossed into the international landscape, performing with the Berlin Philharmonic, the Vienna Philharmonic and many orchestras all over the U.S.; he reached a whole new audience when he performed at the Beijing Olympics. This afternoon, he plays Beethoven with the Seattle Symphony at Benaroya Hall.

His latest album, a Tchaikovsky piano trio with violinist Vadim Repin and cellist Mischa Maisky, is a moving chamber music study, released earlier this month.

The Seattle Times interrupted his nap before a show in Tel Aviv for an interview, where Lang Lang shared his thoughts about his craft, his sex appeal and his future.

Q: How do you usually prepare for a show?

A: Take a nap. I was walking on the beach today to relax. It's my last day here, and it's nice to relax a little bit.

Q: Why piano versus other instruments?

A: The piano feels like the right one. I don't know why, it just feels more solid, more cool for me.

Q: How much do you usually practice?

A: When I was 6 years old, I practiced five hours. Then later, I practiced seven hours. Now, because of the traveling, I practice not that much, only two hours a day.

Q: Your father gave up his job to go to Beijing with you to pursue piano, leaving your mom behind to work — how did you deal with that pressure to succeed?

A: I used to live with a lot of pressure, because I always worry, if I'm not successful, they sacrificed too much for me. ... What would be the future for my family? ... But my father didn't really tell me that he not really working. He made some stories up, so I didn't really worry about it. But, when I think about it, looking back, if he told me everything very clearly, I think it would be really hard for me to live up to such a heavy dream.

Q: Do you let out your steam on the piano?

A: Yeah. Piano is like an extension of my everyday life.

Q: You're very expressive while playing — is that something you're conscious of?

A: Sometimes ... but when I'm really into it I just let myself get lost in the music.

Q: Some critics feel like you're too showy.

A: In the end, everyone needs to be yourself, rather than what people think you are. ... [Otherwise] you live in the shadow of somebody else. ... You limit yourself.

Q: How do you balance the playing and the traveling with blogging? (www.langlang.com/blog )

A: Every few weeks I just write a few things down what I did. ... First of all, many of the people would like to see what you're doing. On other hand, it's nice for yourself, to remember things, what you did.

Q: Who inspires you?

A: There are many musicians I get inspired from the past, people like Bernstein to people living today, like my former teacher. ... Plus, there are many great non-musicians, like great sports stars — people like Tiger Woods. He brought golf to totally another level. ... Before him, golf was only for a few people. Because of him, golf became such a popular sport.

Q: Do you see yourself doing that for classical music? You made piano playing cool.

A: I don't know what I can do, but certainly I try to inspire kids to listen to the classics. I am starting my foundation to support musical education around the globe, particularly in the U.S., to work with local orchestras to promote piano and classical music.

Q: What do you think of your rock-star status?

A: I'm kind of proud people coming to my recitals, coming to my concerts, even though in our world, we are suffering, what do you call this, economy crisis. In my concerts, I don't see any sign of crisis.

Q: How do you make sure you get better, if you only have two hours to practice and you're touring all the time?

A: By talking to people, talking to great musicians about the style of the sound of the music. And also, trying to listen to some other great musicians, or great ensembles, orchestras playing. Or by doing chamber music to learn some things that pianists don't have, like vibrato things on a violin, or those special trills they play on flute or clarinet, or working with on singers how they breathe throughout a piece. ... I just did a tour with Herbie Hancock, and I learned so many new ways to produce sound.

Q: What do you do for fun?

A: Tonight, after the concert, we're going out on the beach with some of my friends from Israel. I'm not going to sleep tonight, because in the morning, I'm going to take the flight out to New York, so I better stay out the whole night and go to sleep on the plane. Parties I really love. I sometimes need my mom to tell me to stop, because I really love to go out.

Q: Are you comfortable with People Magazine naming you as one of 2008's Sexiest Men Alive?

A: That was quite funny last year when People Magazine voted me this kind of thing. I was quite shocked, because I don't have a six pack. ... I feel that [when] anyone plays piano, it looks pretty sexy. ... It's not just about me. When you play beautiful music ... you feel hot.

Q: Do you have time for a relationship?

A: I get lots of letters, and I meet some people after a show ... but the day after I'm out, I'm in a different city. It's nice to have friends ... but to have a romantic relationship, you do need to have time. This is something I think is quite complicated for me at this moment, because I'm doing so many things, and I don't really have time to really focus on personal relationships.

Q: What are you looking for in somebody?

A: I like girls who likes to travel and who cooks well (laughs) and who is pretty, doesn't matter if Chinese or not ... and like music. ... They have to like piano, otherwise, it would be very difficult.

Q: What's up next for you?

A: This foundation is going to be my biggest project. ... There will be lots of hours to choose the right people, the right students, the right organization to work with and the right collaborators around the globe. It's going to be much more beyond being a pianist.

Marian Liu: 206-464-3825 or mliu@seattletimes.com