Riccardo Muti’s back – well ahead of schedule and on top of his game.
He tells Andrew Patner in the Sun-Times that seven weeks was quite long enough to get over heart surgery and a broken jaw. He has been left with a pronounced sibilance in his speech, but has been assured that it will fade in due course. If I were a player in the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, I wouldn’t ask the maestro in rehearsal where that hissing noise is coming from.
The full interview will appear at the weekend.
photo: Tom Cruze~Sun-Times, all rights reserved

Recent Comments
richard carlisle on Rub your eyes: a Jewish orchestra has been invited to open the new Wagner Museum
Good news-- thanks for bringing it to us Mr. Lebrecht.richard carlisle on Jackie Evancho sings ‘Ave Maria’ on Dancing with the Stars (video)
CJ, The 1958 youtube of Vissi d'arte seems magnificent to me -- the way she soars to her high range...william osborne on Rub your eyes: a Jewish orchestra has been invited to open the new Wagner Museum
The New Jewish Chamber Philharmonic Dresden has undertaken a wonderful initiative to revive the works of Jewish composers whose careers...cabbagejuice on Natalie Dessay – are we losing her?
@La Cieca I don't know if you're talking about me cherry-picking but if it is, I assure you my knowledge...La Cieca on Natalie Dessay – are we losing her?
My issue here is that a writer's pet theory of "how to sing properly" is backed up with cherry-picked data....Sixtus on Finisher of Mahler’s 10th takes Mahler’s former job
From what I've seen of the Mahler 10 sketches, the work is pretty much actually "finished" in that it has...cabbagejuice on Jackie Evancho sings ‘Ave Maria’ on Dancing with the Stars (video)
@richard carlisle I have the Stassinopoulos and the Michael Scott books on Callas. The Greeks during the war did not...Norman Lebrecht on Auditor General attacks financial chaos at the Arts Council
It's an outstanding spin job by the ACE, burying financial incompetence in a flurry of Whitehall cover-ups. Any other org...Kit Baker on Just in: John Cage sells out on the Ruhr
I was lucky enough to see Europeras I & II in the late '80s at the Summerfare festival in Purchase,...cabbagejuice on Natalie Dessay – are we losing her?
I would beg to avoid getting into disputes about Beverly Sills as her fans are as fiercely protective of her...