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Articles tagged with: Riccardo Muti

Davis’ ‘The Chicago River’ is a natural tributary of Chicago Symphony’s diverse Rivers Festival

May 26, 2013 – 9:13 am | 11,796 views
The excursion boat Theodore Roosevelt heads east under the State Street bridge in 1910 credit The Lost Panoramas by Richard Cahan and Michael Williams

Review: Each year in the late spring, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra embarks upon themed programs that seem to be as much about reaching deep into the community, and becoming energized by the community in turn, as they do about any particular theme itself. This year’s festival, called “Rivers,” features the world premiere of “The Chicago River” by Orbert Davis. Inspired by late-19th and early-20th century photographs of the elaborately engineered reversal of the river’s flow, it underscores the notion that a cultural landscape is indeed much like a river — alive, ever present and ever changing.

CSO Rivers Festival explores the enchantment of waterways, their impact on human history

May 9, 2013 – 4:29 pm | 2,803 views
Chicago Symphony music director Riccardo Muti at the Chicago River 2013 Rivers Festival credit Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Preview: Literally and metaphorically, rivers seem to flow in every direction across our lives; indeed, across life. It’s not hard to see how the Chicago Symphony Orchestra might have hit on the concept of its Rivers Festival, a multifaceted month-long exploration and tribute that opens musically May 9 at Orchestra Hall.

Day in Rhineland: Muti, Chicago Symphony translate Schumann Third into vivid travelogue

Apr 26, 2013 – 12:32 pm | 3,564 views
Riccardo-Muti-conducts-Chicago-Symphony-Orchestra-at-Orchestra-Hall-April-25-2013

Review: Robert Schumann’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat isn’t known as the “Rhenish” for nothing. I felt very much like Schumann’s Rhine-journeying companion Thursday night, listening to the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s radiant performance of the Third Symphony conducted by music director Riccardo Muti. ★★★★

With Muti back at helm, Chicago Symphony applies classic touch to Mozart, Beethoven

Apr 19, 2013 – 3:30 pm | 8,244 views
Riccardo Muti conducted Mozart's "Prague" Symphony and Beethoven's 4th Symphony with a classically-sized Chicago Symphony Orchestra April 18, 2013 credit Todd Rosenberg

Review: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Mozart-Beethoven concert Thursday night with music director Riccardo Muti felt like one long “aha!” moment. Here was the full measure of finesse, composure and pliancy the orchestra had expected to put on display for audiences in Southeast Asia with Muti at the helm, but in his absence never entirely achieved. ★★★★★

Youths at detention center set lives to music with aid of CSO musicians, praise from Muti

Apr 17, 2013 – 11:17 am | 2,922 views
CSO bass Daniel Armstrong spent 5 days with residents of Cook Cty Juvenile Temp Detention Ctr to help prep their concert  - photo by Todd Rosenberg

Report: The first time Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti visited the Cook County Juvenile Temporary Detention Center, in September 2012, it was to offer a concert to more than 100 youths awaiting trial for serious crimes. For his return visit on April 14, the music was provided by juveniles with help from CSO musicians, and it was Muti who took a turn in the audience.

Opera stage resounds in Bach’s Mass as Muti brings personal authenticity to CSO account

Apr 13, 2013 – 2:08 pm | 4,488 views
Left to right Chicago Symphony Chorus director Duain Wolfe soprano Eleonora Buratto mezzo-soprano Anna Malavasi muic director Riccardo Muti tenor Saimir Pirgu bass-baritone Adam Plachetka photo by Todd Rosenberg

Review: The decidedly Italianate, essentially operatic treatment of Bach’s Mass in B Minor offered this weekend by conductor Riccardo Muti and forces of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra may have little to do with the elusive question of Baroque performance practice, but it has everything to do with spiritual authenticity, conceptual integrity and musical wisdom. ★★★★★

Riccardo Muti, fit and jovial, pitches CSO’s agenda from Verdi to Canary Islands tour

Apr 10, 2013 – 3:35 pm | 41,524 views
Auditorio Alfredo Kraus Canary Islands is a 2014 tour stop for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Report: The Chicago Symphony Orchestra announced a bundle of developments at a press conference Wednesday morning, but the best news may have been the vigorous appearance and high spirits of music director Riccardo Muti.

CSO, Muti plan tributes to Verdi and Schubert in 2013-14 season, with two world premieres

Feb 6, 2013 – 3:24 pm | 3,110 views
Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti takes a bow with the CSO credit Todd Rosenberg

Report: We offer our hot picks.

Holy cow! Frantic CSO, in Asia sans Muti, endures nail-biting days but tour stage set

Jan 24, 2013 – 3:52 pm | 7,786 views
Liberty Times headlines about the Chicago Symphony tour substitions Jan. 21 2012

CSO Asia Tour Report:The Liberty Times Taipei headline says “The great Chicago Symphony Orchestra breaks its normal rule and tours with two soloists; Taiwan’s music lovers gain the most.” The optimism is a welcome development for CSO leaders who raced against time to forge a solution when illness forced music director Riccardo Muti to pull out of the orchestra’s imminent Asia tour. Concerts begin Jan. 24 in Taipei and end Feb. 7 in Seoul.

Report: Riccardo Muti, facing surgery, drops out of CSO’s Asian tour; Maazel steps in

Jan 18, 2013 – 12:35 am | 2,012 views
Lorin Maazel will replace Riccardo Muti for most concerts in  Chicago Symphony 2013 Asian tour Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Tianjin and Seoul credit Chris Lee

Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing on sked

Battling flu, Riccardo Muti flies home to Italy; De Waart to lead 2nd week of CSO concerts

Jan 9, 2013 – 5:09 pm | 2,792 views
Riccardo Muti conducts Chicago Symphony Orchestra,  9/28/07,

Report: Asian tour with Muti stlll a go

Edo de Waart will replace ailing Riccardo Muti in Chicago Symphony’s Beethoven fare

Jan 8, 2013 – 5:50 pm | 3,086 views
Edo de Waart credit Edo de Waart

Report: Flu sidelines CSO maestro

Opening Carnegie Hall season, Muti and CSO match the celebrity sparkle of a packed house

Oct 3, 2012 – 10:48 pm | 4,993 views
Duaine Wolfe, director of the Chicago Symphony Chorus, listens from the back of Carnegie Hall as the CSO rehearses for the evening concert. Chicago Symphony Orchestra NY Mexico Tour October 2012 credit Todd Rosenberg

Report from NYC: “Carmina Burana”

Muti and the CSO launch season with a bang sparked by off-beat, over-the-top mix of works

Sep 21, 2012 – 5:50 pm | 2,818 views
9/20/12 8:50:14 PM -- Music Director Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in Dvorák's  Symphony No. 5  during the opening of the CSO's 2012/13 season at Orchestra Hall. Credit Todd Rosenberg

Review: Symphony orchestra seasons typical open with some form of sizzle, maybe a mix of warhorse masterwork and superstar soloist. But music director Riccardo Muti went the opposite direction, kicking off the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s new season Thursday night with a complete sleeper of a program, an evening of little-known works and with no soloist at all. It was terrific. ****

CSO resident composer Mason Bates receives $250,000 Heinz award in arts and humanities

Sep 12, 2012 – 10:39 am | 1,508 views
5/14/11 7:45:35 PM : Chicago Symphony OrchestraRiccardo Muti Music DirectorYoYo Ma Cello* Bates  The B-Sides, Five Pieces for Orchestra and Electronica* Schumann  Cello Concerto* Strauss  Aus Italien © Todd Rosenberg Photography 2011

He receives prize Oct. 11 in Pittsburgh.

Chicago Opera picks another Queen for ‘Flute’ after visa flap dethrones new Irish sensation

Aug 28, 2012 – 4:03 pm | 3,186 views
Chicago Opera Theater's "Magic Flute" gets a star change

Even queens get caught in red tape.

With Muti again managing the house, CSO’s Bruckner Sixth becomes one splendid edifice

Jun 24, 2012 – 11:30 am | 2,873 views
10/3/07 9:59:04 PM-- Chicago Symphony Orchestra European Tour 2007.

Review: One of the fascinations of this Chicago Symphony Orchestra season — which drew toward its close Sunday with the final performance of Bruckner’s Sixth in its sumptuous glory — has been to hear various conductors come into the same acoustical space of Orchestra Hall, stand in the same spot where music director Riccardo Muti stands, and ply their art with the same band of a hundred-plus that Muti conducts. ****

Capping second CSO season with Bruckner, Muti pledges Austrian-accented 6th Symphony

Jun 19, 2012 – 9:07 am | 2,683 views
Riccardo Muti closeup conducts Chicago credit_Todd_Rosenberg

Exclusive Interview: When conductor Riccardo Muti recorded Bruckner’s Symphony No. 6 in A Major with the Berlin Philharmonic 25 years ago, he came to the task steeped in the Bruckner tradition of the Vienna Philharmonic – a distinctively Austrian way of looking at this thoroughly Austrian Late-Romantic composer. Now, to close out his second season as music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Muti says he will bring that perspective to the Bruckner Sixth on June 22-24.

Chicago Symphony plans Asian tour with Muti, and adds Mexico debut to fall Carnegie opener

May 8, 2012 – 12:33 pm | 3,452 views
Chicago Symphony 2012-2013 tour map credit Nancy Malitz

Beijing, Mexico City, Seoul among stops.

Solemnity rules as Riccardo Muti guides CSO through musical perspectives on human spirit

Mar 16, 2012 – 4:31 pm | 3,109 views
Riccardo Muti music director Chicago Symphony 2012

Review: Riccardo Muti has given Chicago many reasons to celebrate his music directorship of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, but perhaps the most perfect expression of his belief in art’s purpose comes in the current run of rarely heard works for chorus and orchestra by Brahms, Schoenberg and Cherubini. ****

Virtuosity on display, CSO and Zukerman burnish Brahms concerto, 2nd Symphony

Mar 9, 2012 – 5:02 pm | 18,606 views
Pinchas Zukerman featured image credit Paul Labelle

Review: Sometimes, in the course of a symphony orchestra season, it’s good just to hear the band dial up the core German repertoire and show what it can do. That’s exactly what the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and music director Riccardo Muti did March 8 in a sumptuous double dose of Brahms, the Violin Concerto with soloist Pinchas Zukerman and the Second Symphony. *****

Riccardo Muti, Chicago Symphony unleash alternative energy of Mason Bates, Anna Clyne

Feb 14, 2012 – 9:01 pm | 7,031 views
Clyne_Anna_Bates_Mason_featured image credit_Todd_Rosenberg

Feature: Chicago Symphony Orchestra performances in California and at Carnegie Hall will introduce new works by young resident composers Feb. 14-19 and Oct. 4.

Chicago Symphony’s 2012-13 plans highlight Wagner, Stravinsky and waterway themes

Feb 6, 2012 – 7:38 pm | 6,424 views
Riccardo Muti Orchestra Hall credit Todd Rosenberg

Complete season highlights, details.

In Orff’s earthy ‘Carmina Burana,’ Muti guides CSO and vocal force to Fortune’s throne room

Jan 27, 2012 – 7:14 pm | 4,352 views
CSO Muti Carmina Burana featured image

Review: Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus with the Chicago Children’s Choir conducted by Riccardo Muti. Maria Grazia Schiavo, soprano; Max Emanuel Cencic, countertenor; Stéphane Degout, baritone. Through Jan. 28. *****

With new honors falling like autumn leaves, Riccardo Muti reflects on the conductor’s art

Oct 13, 2011 – 12:54 am | 4,684 views
Arturo-Toscanini

In Part 2 of an interview with Chicago On the Aisle, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s music director extols Italian training, calls Toscanini his hero and admits impatience with routine effort – and prima donnas.

Riccardo Muti unearths gem in Mahler tribute

Oct 7, 2011 – 2:25 pm | 4,657 views
Gustav_Mahler_Crop_Emil_Orlik_1902

Mahler conducted the world premiere of Busoni’s “Berceuse élégiaque” at the last public performance of his life, with the New York Philharmonic in 1911. At the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s re-creation of the event, the nine incredible minutes of the “Berceuse” alone are sufficient reason to attend.

Sidestepping Mahler, Muti points toward Bruckner and plans that will stretch the CSO

Oct 5, 2011 – 5:13 pm | 12,399 views
Music Director Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra 2011 European Tour

In an exclusive interview with Chicago On the Aisle, Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti explains his limited enthusiasm for Mahler and reflects on a lifelong struggle with the immensity of Beethoven.

CSO marks Liszt bicentenary with an epic and a romp

Oct 1, 2011 – 2:46 pm | 2,900 views
Riccardo Muti, music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Celebrating the bicentenary of Liszt’s birth, music director Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Orchestra forged a sublime performance of Liszt’s epic “Faust Symphony.”