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Back in the city where his career took off, Maestro Riccardo Muti returned with his beloved Chicago Symphony Orchestra musicians for a concert at the historic Teatro alla Scala. This hall, also known as La Scala, is steeped in history, particularly in the opera genre. Muti himself is part of La Scala’s story, having been its longest-serving music director, from 1986 to 2005. While this stop was a short one for the CSO and Muti, they performed a program of Strauss and Prokofiev for a standing-room-only crowd.
CSO trumpet Tage Larsen arrives at the hotel in Milan, where the CSO will perform at the historic Teatro alla Scala. The CSO has performed at La Scala eight times since its first visit in 1971.
After a bus ride from Torino and checking into her hotel room, CSO flute Emma Gerstein braves the busy streets of Milan in search of a preconcert meal. On a travel-and-play day such as this one, the musicians have only a few hours between arriving in a city and performing a concert.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
A pigeon soars over a Sunday-afternoon crowd outside the Duomo di Milano. This duomo, or cathedral, was constructed over six centuries, beginning in 1386, when the gothic architectural style reached its peak.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
CSO principal trumpet Esteban Batallán and his wife, Marina Abuín Salgado, stroll through Galleria Vittorio Emanuele II, a popular shopping mall located in the city’s center. Batallán is no stranger to Milan, as he served as guest principal trumpet with the Orchestra del Teatro alla Scala and the Filarmonica della Scala in 2015 and 2018.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Stage technician Todd Snick takes a quick break after a very fast and challenging load-in at Teatro alla Scala. An opera rehearsal occupied the stage until late in the afternoon, giving the CSO’s stage crew a very short window in which to turn around the stage for the CSO’s performance that evening.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Taxis and Vespas zoom past the historic Teatro alla Scala in Milan. After opening in 1778, Teatro alla Scala survived multiple fires, many started by the 84 oil lamps that lit the stage before electricity was installed.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Maestro Riccardo Muti, CSO music director emeritus for life, leads the CSO in its penultimate performance of the Europe 2024 Tour, at Teatro alla Scala in Milan on Saturday, January 27. Muti’s conducting career has deep roots in Milan. While in the city during his youth, he earned a diploma for composition and conducting from the Giuseppe Verdi Conservatory and then won the Guido Cantelli Conducting Competition in 1967 by unanimous vote.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
CSO principal bassoon Keith buncke comes into focus during the CSO’s performance of Richard Strauss’ musical postcard from Italy, Aus Italien. The woodwind section is now back to full strength with Buncke’s return after being sidelined due to a brief illness.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Enjoy the view from the uppermost gallery during the CSO’s performance of Strauss’ Aus Italien. This tone poem was inspired by the composer’s travels to Italy.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Leone Facoetti and Pietro Barcella smile for the camera during the CSO’s performance at Teatro alla Scala on Saturday, January 27. Facoetti and Barcella are big fans of Maestro Muti and try to attend as many of his performances as possible.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
CSO principal clarinet Stephen Williamson smiles for the camera while on stage at Milan’s famed opera house, Teatro alla Scala. Before joining the CSO, Williamson performed with the orchestra of another premier opera company, the Metroplitan Opera in New York City.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
A view from above showcases the violin section in performance at Teatro alla Scala on Saturday, January 27.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Assistant principal clarinet John Bruce Yeh plays his E-flat clarinet for this performance of Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5. Smaller in size than the more common B-flat clarinet, the E-flat clarinet is pitched a perfect fourth higher.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
The full brass section comes into view during the CSO’s performance at Teatro alla Scala on Saturday, January 27.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Acting principal viola Teng Li performs Prokofiev’s Symphony No. 5, which received its premiere in early 1945—while World War II still raged—in a performance conducted by the composer in Moscow. Prokofiev took the stage while artillery could be heard firing and paused the concert until the sounds of war ceased.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
Maestro Riccardo Muti addresses the audience at La Scala, where he served as music director from 1986 to 2005, the longest tenure of a music director in the venue’s history.
Todd Rosenberg Photography
As the musicians head back to the hotel, the moon rises over the cathedral on the eve of the CSO’s final performance of the Europe 2024 Tour. Good night, moon. Good night, Milan.
