Stories

Riccardo Muti gazes pensively into the distance

Muti’s legacy: respect composers, reject revisionists

“In 20 to 30 years, when everything will collapse, you will say maybe Muti was right,” the 80-year-old Italian conductor said.

Stephen RaskauskasNovember 11, 2016

VIDEO: “A Shot of Malört” Is the Song Every Chicagoan Needs to Hear

Michael San GabinoNovember 8, 2016

Pianist Mary Sauer Retires from Chicago Symphony Orchestra After 57 Years of Service

Members of Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles perform at the Halftime Show of Super Bowl 50 with Coldplay's Chris Martin (Photo: Arnie Papp)

Dorian NicholasNovember 4, 2016

6 Times Orchestras Scored at Major Sporting Events

‘No path is easy’: Black opera singers detail struggles

Associated PressSeptember 19, 2019

More than 60 years after Marian Anderson broke the color barrier at the Met, Black singers still face unique obstacles within the opera industry. "We've made some strides, but not a whole lot," said Professor Naomi Andre.

Pianist Leif Ove Andsnes on revisiting a beloved 150-year-old concerto to open the CSO season

Keegan MorrisSeptember 19, 2019

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s 2019-20 season will start with a much-loved concerto in a performance by two artists picking up the piece for the first time in a while. In a phone interview with WFMT, pianist Leif Ove Andsnes says that he hasn’t played the Grieg piano concerto in more than a decade. And according to Andsnes, Riccardo Muti says ...

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Second City and Lyric Look for the Lighter Side of Wagner with “LONGER! LOUDER! WAGNER!”

Stephen RaskauskasOctober 28, 2016

The latest collaboration between Lyric Opera of Chicago and Second City is LONGER! LOUDER! WAGNER!, which runs through Sunday, October 30 at the Civic Opera House. Actor Tim Ryder, who appeared in The Second City Guide to the Opera (also in collaboration with Lyric), said: “This show tells two stories in parallel: the story of Richard Wagner as he creates the Ring ...

Joan Baez Talks Trump, Taxes, and Dylan

Stephen RaskauskasOctober 27, 2016

Joan Baez has always said she is an activist first and an artist second. At 75 years old, her priorities have not changed. This fall, Baez is on a tour of major cities throughout the United States to, in part, raise awareness about the nation’s criminal justice system.

Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association Reports Ticket Sales Up, Deficit Slightly Down

David PolkOctober 27, 2016

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra Association announced the results from the 2015-2016 fiscal year at its Annual Meeting, which took place October 26, 2016 at Symphony Center. The organization posted a deficit of $1.1 million, though ticket sales for the CSO Main series hit record highs. The CSOA reported that overall ticket sales were down slightly to $22.2 million from last ...

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