Conductor Riccardo Muti Named Honorary Citizen of Andria

Muti was awarded the title by the Municipal Council on the proposal of the City Mayor 

The Italian conductor Riccardo Muti has been awarded an Honorary Citizenship of the Italian comune, Andria. The title recognizes those who, although not residents, bring prestige to the Andriesi community through their profession.

Decided by the Municipal Council on the proposal of the lawyer and Mayor Giovanna Bruno, Muti was awarded at a ceremony at the Council Chamber and welcomed by the student choir Fantasie di Note. 

The event was attended by government official Dr. Silvana D'Agostino, Bishop Monsignor Luigi Mansi, as well as civil and military authorities.

Muti holds special connections with Andria, Molfetta, and the wider Puglia region, especially to the UNESCO site Castel del Monte and to the “Puer Apuliae” Frederick II of Swabia, who was emperor of the Holy Roman Empire and King of Sicily.  

At the ceremony, he explained that he was grateful and moved by the Honorary Citizenship and spoke of his childhood and his tireless search for material on Frederick II when he was younger, wrote the City of Andria. He also spoke of the need for investment in culture and music from governments to preserve the sector’s future. 

From 2010 to 2023, Muti served as Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s music director and now holds the title of Music Director Emeritus for Life. During his tenure, he led 16 world premieres, acclaimed international tours, and 12 GRAMMY Award-winning recordings.

Born in Naples, Muti studied piano and conducting in Italy and achieved acclaim after winning the 1967 Guido Cantelli Conducting Competition. 

In the following two decades, he was the principal conductor of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and the Philadelphia Orchestra and served as music director of Teatro alla Scala from 1986 to 2005. He also holds a long-standing relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic, which he has conducted multiple times in its famous New Year’s Concert.

Among his many honors include the Knight of the Grand Cross from the Vatican, the Order of the Rising Sun from Japan, Knight Commander of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II, the Praemium Imperiale for Music, plus over 20 honorary degrees from top universities worldwide. 

He is also the founder of the Luigi Cherubini Youth Orchestra and the Riccardo Muti Italian Opera Academy. Additionally, he has published four books and holds an extensive discography of countless symphonic and contemporary works.

Alongside his new Honorary Citizenship, Muti was presented with the Coat of Arms and the key of the City of Andria, crafted from olive wood by the cabinetmaker Antonio Quacquarelli.

“In this passionate game of reclaiming Italian cultural prerogatives, we believed that maestro Riccardo Muti has always been on the front line, supporting a commitment with the personal credibility of a life spent at the highest artistic and cultural levels,” said Mayor Bruno in his speech at the award ceremony. “This is how Maestro Muti, the man on the podium, demonstrated what ‘responsibility’ means, which is what naturally comes from major exposures. 

“They still echo, dear Maestro, your strong words spoken last June, in the presence of the Head of State. A shock for everyone, certainly also for those who would not have preferred to listen: ‘The orchestra is synonymous with society. There are violins, cellos, violas, double basses, flutes, oboes ... each of them has completely different parts, but they must all contribute, even if they have different phrases, to a single good which is that of the harmony of all. There is no bully ... Many times the impediment to music is the conductor.’ 

“Most esteemed Maestro, from now on, carry Andria in your heart. In your thoughts; even in your actions, if it were possible,” the Mayor continued. “Live this Community with the same intensity and delicacy that music gives. Music…necessity for the spirit … the living with … that strength of emotions that are dedicated to a place dear to your existence, as this City that I have the honor to represent, wants to be for you from today and for eternity.”