Riccardo Muti Becomes Chicago Symphony Orchestra's Music Director Emeritus for Life

Chicago's prominent 10th music director will assume the role beginning in the 2023/24 season

As the Music Director Emeritus for Life, Riccardo Muti will maintain a close connection with the Orchestra with an additional six weeks of concerts already planned for the 2024/25 season, and annual weeks of concerts for subsequent seasons are in discussion.

Assuming the new role in September, Muti will conduct two weeks of concerts in Chicago to open the CSO’s 133rd season, followed by two concerts in New York’s Carnegie Hall to open their season on October 4 and 5. Muti will rejoin the Orchestra in January 2024 for three weeks of concerts during its first European Tour since 2020, with performances already announced in Belgium, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Austria and Italy.

Muti is currently in Chicago leading concerts that culminate his tenure as Zell Music Director after 13 seasons of celebrated artistic partnership.

“I am honored to stay with the musicians of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra as their Music Director Emeritus for Life,” said Riccardo Muti. “Our artistic collaboration has been one of the great joys of my life and created deep bonds of friendship across my years in Chicago. I look forward to returning regularly to share great music with audiences in the city and on tour.”

“The inspired leadership and musicianship of Riccardo Muti has broadened worldwide acclaim for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra during his distinguished tenure,” said CSOA Board Chair Mary Louise Gorno. “We express our endless gratitude to Maestro Muti for accepting this important role that will keep him close to the musicians of the Orchestra and extend a golden era of music making.”

In his tenure, Muti was involved in creating new artistic positions at CSO including the Creative Consultant role which was held by cellist Yo-Yo Ma and the Artist-in-Residence position, which was previously held by violinist Hilary Hahn.

Muti made his debut with the CSO in 1973 at the Ravinia Festival. After over a 34-year hiatus, Muti led the CSO in 2007 in a month-long residency that included subscription concerts and a European tour involving CSO’s first appearance in Italy in more than 25 years.

He appeared with CSO several times as Music Director Designate in 2009 and his official debut as its director in 2010 had him lead the symphony in a concert that attracted 25,000 people to the Pritzker Pavilion in Chicago’s Millennium Park.