Riccardo Muti, the current music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, will assume the honorary position of music director emeritus for life starting from the upcoming season. This announcement was made at Orchestra Hall in Chicago on Friday evening, following a performance of Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis,” which marked the beginning of Muti’s final subscription weekend as the music director. Muti’s remarkable tenure with the orchestra began in the 2010-11 season.
Muti will be conducting a repeat of Beethoven’s piece on Saturday night and Sunday, concluding his tenure with a farewell concert on Tuesday night at Millennium Park, which will be free to attend.
Despite stepping down from his role as music director, Muti is scheduled to conduct the Chicago Symphony Orchestra for six weeks in each of the next two seasons. His 2023-24 CSO schedule commences with a two-week opening of the season in Chicago, followed by two concerts to inaugurate Carnegie Hall’s season on October 4th and 5th. Subsequently, Muti will embark on a three-week European tour from January 11th to 29th, encompassing performances in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria, and Italy.
For the 2024-25 season, Muti’s engagements with the CSO include four weeks of concerts in Chicago and an additional two weeks on tour. The orchestra is currently in discussions regarding his potential presence in future seasons, with the possibility of annual weeks being allocated to him.
Throughout his illustrious career, Riccardo Muti has held notable positions with prestigious orchestras and opera houses. He served as the music director of Italy’s Maggio Musicale Fiorentino from 1968 to 1980, bringing his artistry to one of the country’s renowned musical institutions. Following that, Muti took on the role of music director for London’s Philharmonia Orchestra, where he stayed from 1972 to 1982, leaving an indelible mark on the British music scene.
From 1980 to 1992, Muti held the position of music director with the esteemed Philadelphia Orchestra, leading them to new artistic heights during his twelve-year tenure. Additionally, he served as the music director of Milan’s Teatro alla Scala from 1986 to 2005, a period marked by numerous acclaimed productions and collaborations.
In the realm of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Muti holds the distinction of being the fifth music director in the orchestra’s seven-decade history. His predecessors in this esteemed role include Fritz Reiner (1953-1962), Jean Martinon (1963-1968), Georg Solti (1969-1991), and Daniel Barenboim (1991-2006). Each of these distinguished conductors contributed significantly to the orchestra’s legacy, and Muti’s tenure follows in their esteemed footsteps.