On a recent Wednesday, I met the Norwegian violinist Vilde Frang in a café in Berlin’s Prenzlauer Berg neighborhood: an area popular with classical musicians for its chic, international atmosphere. She had to cancel our previous appointment, writing on WhatsApp that she had a bad cold; then a doctor diagnosed her with mononucleosis. She described passing out twice during a recent concert period, once after the dress rehearsal, then again after the performance. “When I went on stage I knew it wasn’t a good idea, but when you are in the situation you give everything,” she told me.Frang has recently turned 30. Career-wise, everything has been going according to plan: she has an exclusive contract with a major label (EMI/Warner, from 2008), prizes to her name, a full calendar, and she’s in demand with major orchestras and conductors. But the hard work of finding balance in life has just begun. “In tune” is a phrase that she uses a lot, that symbolizes a lack of dissonances, being at peace with yourself—a good subject for a conversation at the year’s end.
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