Music Director Riccardo Muti has had a string of bad luck of late. After having to cancel to weeks of concert appearances in Chicago because of the flu, he will have to all miss the CSO’s tour in Asia. After returning to Italy last week, Maestro Muti sought further medical care. He was subsequently diagnosed with an inguinal hernia, which requires surgical treatment as soon as possible. His doctors determined that to delay the surgery until after the scheduled tour to Asia could lead to complications.
Substituting for Maestro Muti on this tour is Lorin Maazel (music director, Munich Philharmonic) for the concerts in Hong Kong, China and Korea. Osmo Vänskä (music director, Minnesota Orchestra) will conduct the CSO in its upcoming performances in Taipei, Taiwan, on January 25 and 26.
CSOA President Deborah F. Rutter commented, “The thoughts and good wishes of the entire CSO family are with our beloved Maestro Muti as he undergoes surgery. Naturally, we are disappointed that he was not able to lead the Orchestra here in Chicago and will be unable to join us on our tour beginning next week. However, we completely understand that this is a health situation beyond his control and eagerly await his return to Chicago in April. The CSO family is deeply grateful to Maestro Maazel for assisting the CSO on this tour.”
In a written statement from Italy, Maestro Muti said, “I feel very sad, frustrated and upset to leave my wonderful musicians and audiences in Chicago and on this very important tour that I was expecting with great anticipation. I look forward to returning to Chicago in April when we can once again make beautiful music together.”
Repertoire changes for this tour include multiple program changes: Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony—which replaces originally scheduled music by Stravinsky and Busoni—and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2 on one program and Verdi’s Overture to I vespri siciliani, Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 (Italian) and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (Eroica) on the other.
CSO Concertmaster Robert Chen appears as soloist on the January 25 concert in Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto. The remainder of the program is Mozart’s Symphony No. 41, K.551 (Jupiter) and Brahms’ Symphony No. 2.
Violinist Maxim Vengerov joins the CSO as soloist for the January 26 program, performing Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto. Also featured on that performance is Verdi’s Overture to I vespri siciliani and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 (Eroica).
Most recent tour itinerary is listed below.
Chiang Kai-Shek National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan
Friday, January 25, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Robert Chen, violin
MOZART Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K.551 (Jupiter)
MENDELSSOHN Violin Concerto in E Minor, Op. 64
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D Major. Op. 73
Chiang Kai-Shek National Concert Hall in Taipei, Taiwan
Saturday, January 26, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Osmo Vänskä, conductor
Maxim Vengerov, violin
VERDI Overture to I vespri siciliani
TCHAIKOVSKY Violin Concerto in D Major, Op. 35
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Hong Kong
Monday, January 28, 2013, 8 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
MOZART Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K.551 (Jupiter)
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D Major. Op. 73
Hong Kong Cultural Centre in Hong Kong
Tuesday, January 29, 2013, 8 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
VERDI Overture to I vespri siciliani
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (Italian)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
Oriental Art Centre in Shanghai, China
Thursday, January 31, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
VERDI Overture to I vespri siciliani
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (Italian)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
National Center for the Performing Arts in Beijing, China
Sunday, February 3, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
MOZART Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K.551 (Jupiter)
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D Major. Op. 73
Tianjin Grand Theatre in Tianjin, China
Monday, February 4, 2013, 7:30 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
VERDI Overture to I vespri siciliani
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (Italian)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
Seoul Arts Center in Seoul, Korea
Wednesday, February 6, 2013, 8 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
MOZART Symphony No. 41 in C Major, K.551 (Jupiter)
BRAHMS Symphony No. 2 in D Major. Op. 73
Seoul Arts Center in Seoul, Korea
Thursday, February 7, 2013, 8 p.m.
Chicago Symphony Orchestra
Lorin Maazel, conductor
VERDI Overture to I vespri siciliani
MENDELSSOHN Symphony No. 4 in A Major, Op. 90 (Italian)
BEETHOVEN Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major, Op. 55 (Eroica)
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