Program Book: Muti, Glass & Mendelssohn Italian, Sep 28-30, 2023

Read the program book for Muti, Glass & Mendelssohn Italian, Sep 28-30, 2023.

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Riccardo Muti gave the world premiere performance of Philip Glass’ The Triumph of the Octagon on Thursday night, a mathematical piece for strings and winds inspired by a 13th-century citadel in Italy’s Apulia region. After the debut, they rounded out the concert — which marked the first of Muti’s final week in residency in Chicago this fall — with two other works evocative of his native country: Mendelssohn’s sunny Italian Symphony and Richard Strauss’ Aus Italien.

Photography by Todd Rosenberg