The Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO) announced yesterday that it has named Riccardo Muti, one of the biggest, greatest, names in world classical music, and former music director of Milan’s famed La Scala Opera, as its 10th music director beginning with the 2010-2011 symphony season. Muti succeeds the great Daniel Barenboim, who stepped down from the CSO music director post in 2006. This is tremendous news, again another confident and loud signal to the world that Chicago is an essential global cultural capital, or as the Chicago Tribune says in it’s headline announcing the news: “Luring of charismatic musician helps Chicago maintain hold in top tier of world culture.” Yes! I find it very amusing that the New York Times said, with a hint of barely disguised condescension (or was it envy? insecurity?), in its write-up about Muti’s new role that his coming to our fair city “(adds) a layer of luster to the city’s cultural profile.” Well, here’s a news flash to the New York Times, and to New Yorkers who still hold up their nose at Chicago’s cultural and artistic vibrancy, and to Chicagoans or anyone else who continue to live in a delusional haze that Chicago arts is an also-ran to New York’s: we don’t need an additional ”layer of luster”; Chicago already dazzles brilliantly and powerfully in the global cultural firmament, with spectacular and world-class theater, visual art, museums, opera, and symphony music all enriching the lives of its residents and visitors. Oh by the way, Muti turned down the offer of being music director of the New York Philharmonic in 2000- just a little tidbit to keep those New York arts-centric fans in line. As a warm-up to Muti’s first season, he will be conducting the CSO for the Verdi Requiem on January 15-17, 2009 and for two still-to-be-announced weeks during the 2009-2010 subscription season. Get your tickets as soon as they are available- these concert dates will probably sell out like crazy!
May 06
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