Chicago Symphony Riccardo Muti conducts the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (Photo: Todd Rosenberg)
CSO Music Director Emeritus Riccardo Muti has been awarded the 2025 Ratzinger Prize, often referred to as “the Nobel Prize of Theology.” Pope Leo XIV, a fellow Chicagoan, presented Muti with the prize following the Vatican Christmas concert on December 12th, after Muti led the Cherubini Orchestra and the Cathedral Choir of Siena in seasonal works.
Established in 2011 by Pope Benedict XVI, the Ratzinger Prize honors outstanding contributions in theology, philosophy, and the arts. Previous winners have ranged from clergymen to musicians, professors, and architects. Among last year’s laureates was Irish theology professor Cyril O’Regan, a longtime Notre Dame University scholar and author whose work reflects the prize’s broad intellectual and cultural scope.
Muti served as the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Music Director from 2010 to 2023 before assuming an emeritus role. During his tenure, he conducted free concerts for Chicago in Millennium Park, expanded the orchestra’s repertoire through new commissions, and presented major works of the classical canon – further establishing his reputation as one of the world’s leading interpreters of Verdi. His 2011 recording of Verdi’s Requiem with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus won two Grammy Awards: Best Classical Album and Best Choral Performance. The Ratzinger Foundation also recognized Muti’s efforts to make classical music more accessible, including performances for young audiences and within Illinois youth and detention centers. Prior to his time in Chicago, Muti held lengthy leadership roles with Italy’s Maggio Musicale Fiorentino (1968-80), London’s Philharmonia Orchestra (1972-82), the Philadelphia Orchestra (1980-92), and Milan’s Teatro alla Scala (1986-2005).
Adding to the significance of this honor is Muti’s relationship with the late Pope Benedict XVI. The two shared a deep admiration for Mozart, and the Muti family visited the pontiff on several occasions – a friendship the Ratzinger Foundation noted in its official announcement.
Watch the ceremony on Youtube below.
