Riccardo Muti to China

The former Chicago chief, relieved now of most worldly concderns, plans to take his Ravenna opera academy to the city of Suzhou, Jiangsu province, in November.

The Suzhou Symphony Orchestra will support the teaching he gives to young musicians from around the world. The opera he will teach is Cavalleria Rusticana.

In a launch video, Muti said: ‘China and Italy both have a profound culture and very long history. I know that there are many Chinese who love Italian opera and I have been trying to get close to Chinese culture. During the past decades, classical music has gained a large fan base in China, with new concert halls and new symphony orchestras appearing in the country. There are also many great Chinese musicians performing around the world — pianists, violinists, singers and conductors — who have become like bridges, bringing our countries closer to each other.’