Riccardo Muti becomes Chicago Symphony Orchestra's music director emeritus for life
Riccardo Muti will become the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s music director emeritus for life starting next season
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Riccardo Muti will become the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's music director emeritus for life starting next season.
The announcement was made on the stage of Orchestra Hall on Friday night after a performance of Beethoven's “Missa Solemnis,” the start of Muti's final subscription weekend as music director. His tenure began with the 2010-11 season.
Muti repeats the Beethoven on Saturday night and Sunday, then closes his tenure Tuesday night with a free concert in Millennium Park.
Muti, who turns 82 in July, is scheduled to conduct the CSO for six weeks in each of the next two seasons. His CSO schedule for 2023-24 starts with two weeks opening the season in Chicago, two concerts to start Carnegie Hall's season on Oct. 4 and 5, and a three-week European tour from Jan. 11-29 with performances in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Italy.
His 2024-25 season with the CSO will include four weeks in Chicago and two on tour. The orchestra said annual weeks in additional seasons are being discussed.
Muti’s career has included lengthy tenures with Italy’s Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (1968-80), London’s Philharmonia Orchestra (1972-82), the Philadelphia Orchestra (1980-92) and Milan’s Teatro alla Scala (1986-2005).
He is just the fifth CSO music director in seven decades, following Fritz Reiner (1953-62), Jean Martinon (1963-68), Georg Solti (1969-91) and Daniel Barenboim (1991-2006).