Riccardo Muti Named Lifetime Music Director Emeritus of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Beginning next season, Riccardo Muti will assume the role of Music Director Emeritus for Life at the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. The announcement took place on the Orchestra Hall stage Friday night after a performance of Beethoven’s “Missa Solemnis,” which marked the start of Muti’s final weekend as music director. The 2010-2011 season marked the beginning of his tenure. After performing Beethoven again on Saturday night and Sunday, Muti will end his tenure with a Millennium Park concert free to the public on Tuesday night.
Muti, who turns 82 in July, is expected to lead the CSO for a total of six weeks over the next two seasons. His schedule for the 2023-2024 season with the CSO begins with two season-opening weeks in Chicago, followed by two season-opening concerts at Carnegie Hall on October 4 and 5, then a three-week European tour starting January 11. which includes representations in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Italy. During the 2024-25 season, he will spend four weeks performing in Chicago with the CSO and two weeks on tour. According to the orchestra, the planning of annual weeks in future seasons is currently under consideration.
During his career, Muti held numerous positions with the Philadelphia Orchestra (1980-1992), the Philadelphia Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (1968-1980), the London Philharmonia Orchestra (1972-1982) and the Teatro alla Scala in Milan. (1986-2005). After Fritz Reiner (1953-1962), Jean Martinon (1963-1988), Georg Solti (1969-1991) and Daniel Barenboim (1991-2006), he was only the fifth person to hold the position of musical director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
