Riccardo Muti, Music Director Emeritus for Life of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra (CSO), made a triumphant return to the CSO’s podium for a two-week residency, delighting a packed house at Symphony Hall with a memorable performance on Thursday evening. The concert featured two iconic works by Beethoven and a stellar guest performance by pianist Mitsuko Uchida, who was warmly celebrated by the audience.
The first half of the evening was dedicated to Beethoven’s Piano Concerto No. 5 in E-flat Major (Emperor), the composer’s final piano concerto, first performed in 1811. Uchida, known for her precision and expressive depth, delivered a stunning rendition of the concerto, with her powerful yet delicate touch on the keys setting the tone for the evening. The opening movement began with Uchida’s strong fluttering notes, which gradually built in intensity, complemented by the winds and full orchestra. The dynamic range of the piece was on full display, with moments of both delicacy and drama, culminating in a burst of sound at the conclusion of the first movement.
The Adagio movement followed, featuring a gentle and lyrical opening by the strings, with Uchida’s delicate “steps” on the keyboard gradually shifting to rapid, fluid runs across the piano. The orchestra responded to her subtleties with a rich variety of textures, including a beautiful moment with the clarinets. The movement then built to a powerful climax, with Uchida’s skillful runs on the piano and a resounding orchestral burst that left the audience breathless. The performance maintained a balance between strength and sensitivity, with Uchida’s interpretation bringing out the full emotional depth of the concerto. The piece concluded with a final rush up the keyboard, accompanied by a triumphant orchestral flourish.
In the second half, the concert turned to Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 in E-flat Major (Eroica), composed in 1803-1804 and often hailed as a landmark work marking the transition between the Classical and Romantic eras. The symphony opened with two dramatic chords before transitioning into a familiar, lyrical melody, building with the winds to create a sense of grand scale. The symphony moved through a wide range of moods, from urgent and intense passages to moments of calm beauty. The CSO, under Muti’s expert direction, showcased its golden tone, shifting effortlessly between Beethoven’s solemn and funereal melodies, waves of dramatic sound, and delicate sections marked by swirling strings and winds. The piece culminated in a wild, celebratory finale, offering a thrilling and high-speed conclusion to the evening.
Muti’s second week of performances with the CSO, on November 8 and 9 at 7:30 p.m., will feature a very different program. In addition to works by Donizetti, Verdi, Chabrier, and de Falla, the concert will include the world premiere of Osvaldo Golijov’s Megalopolis Suite, commissioned by the CSO. The suite, drawn from the score of the upcoming 2024 film Megalopolis directed by Francis Ford Coppola, has been described as capturing “how the fate of Ancient Rome haunts a modern world.” The premiere will add a contemporary touch to Muti’s dynamic programming, offering a thrilling look at the future of orchestral composition.
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