Muti catches Covid, Lina steps in

Muti catches Covid, Lina steps in

News

norman lebrecht

June 17, 2022

This weeks prestige Chicago Symphony concerts with Anne-Sophie Mutter are being led by Conducting Apprentice Lina González-Granados after Riccardo Muti tested positive for Covid.

We wish him better.

CSO statement: CSO’s Sir Georg Solti Conducting Apprentice Lina González-Granados will step in for Music Director Riccardo Muti to lead this week’s Chicago Symphony Orchestra subscription concerts June 16-18. The change of conductor comes after a positive COVID-19 test result today for Muti, who has been testing daily in accordance with CSOA safety protocols. Due to the test result, Muti will be unable to lead upcoming CSO performances on June 16-18, but the program will remain the same with Brahms’ Symphony No. 1 and Beethoven’s Violin Concerto featuring celebrated violinist Anne-Sophie Mutter as soloist.

Muti is experiencing mild symptoms, is in good spirits, and is planning to resume his other June residency activities as soon as possible, while following current CDC guidelines.

Comments

  • Tamino says:

    Didn‘t Anne-Sophie Mutter just yesterday post on instagram, that she had tested negative again, ready for concerts with Muti? After testing positive in Baltimore and cancelling concerts there last week? Where the conductor also was switched last minute? Corona is in the air, but apparently it‘s mild if anything for the most. Don‘t be afraid.

    • Frank says:

      It’s not necessarily mild. I had it recently and was knocked out for several days: fever, headaches, sore throat, cough that wouldn’t go away. I’m double vaxed and double boosted but nonetheless, symptoms have lingered after several weeks. Trust me, you don’t want this.

  • Gustavo says:

    Suppose he’s been hopping around too much.

  • Frank says:

    Beethoven VC; Brahms Symphony 1.
    Snooze program.

    • Anon says:

      I feel sorry for you Frank.
      It’s some of the most glorious music ever written.
      If you find it boring it is because you never truly loved music in the first place.

    • Don says:

      Literally two of the greatest pieces ever written. How sad you think that way. I pity you.

    • ChicagoLover says:

      All your taste is in your mouth. What a dumb thing to say.

  • Gus says:

    And in other news, Justin Bieber has a facial paralysis unable to sing.

    Celine Dion still not performing?

    https://stevekirsch.substack.com/p/the-cause-of-justin-biebers-facial

    • msc says:

      Some people when they read about Justin Bieber thought “how sad, that he has half his face paralyzed,” and some of us thought “how sad that he has only half his face paralyzed.”

  • Mary says:

    Didn’t NL just post a photo of Muti jumping on the podium….unmasked, when all the kids behind him were masked?

    Does it comes as a surprise to anyone that the octogenarian comes down with Covid?

    It’s not rocket science folks: If you’re 80 years old, your immune system is weak, not weakER, just plain WEAK, and if you’re hanging around a bunch of teenagers, and you’re the only one not masked, you don’t need a PhD in epidemiology to know what’s gonna happen next…

    • Frank says:

      Muti has been living on the edge, never masking on stage. But he’s scheduled to be back next week to conduct – ironically – Verdi’s “Masked Ball.”

      The CDC advises people to mask for 5 days after their isolation period with Covid. With singers necessarily unmasked beside him, any bets as to what he’ll do?

    • Tamino says:

      All the fear everywhere…
      when you are 80, life in general is rather dangerous. 😉
      The current corona virus strain is not that dangerous anymore. A little relaxation and putting things in perspective might be in order.

      • Peter San Diego says:

        Not THAT dangerous, perhaps, but still a nasty virus. There are still over 200 people dying from it per day in the U.S. That’s well under the peak, but it still makes COVID a significant component of population mortality.

    • Fineprint says:

      Mary, one has to learn to read fine prints. The picture of Muti in front of the youth orchestra is an archival photo dating months ago.

    • henry williams says:

      he should stay in italy

      the weather. food. and cars are better

      • Tamino says:

        Cars? With cars it’s like with lovers. (also conductors?) Italian ones look better, but German ones perform better. 🙂 Sorry Riccardo.

    • ChicagoLover says:

      That rehearsal took place 5 weeks ago, not a week or two ago. Symptoms would manifest themselves sooner than now.

    • Anthony Sayer says:

      It’s weaker if you get jabbed. Fact.

  • Midwestern Violin says:

    Congratulations to Lina, she did a fine job.

    And congratulations to Muti, as well. As we all know, one of his main occupations in Chicago is supporting female latin minorities.

    • Lothario Hunter says:

      Oh yes, yes! A second hot date with Corona in Chicago means more free time to fully dedicate himself to that!

  • Charlatan says:

    Lina taking over…. Good luck to the musicians…
    And to the audience too… :-///

    • Bob says:

      I heard she was awful. And, according to a knowledgeable friend, “she walked out FIVE CURTAIN CALLS with her so Mutter couldn’t do an encore”

      Talk about ego.

      • Dreadful says:

        She was absolutely horrendous. Ill-prepared, head buried in the score, throwing wrong cues all over the place, “shushing” the orchestra. A dreadful “accompanist,” rarely with Mutter, she had the world-class CSO playing apart from itself. To say she “got through it” would be incredibly generous. It was an embarrassing disaster. And yes, she walked out with Mutter for each bow. Unbelievable.

        • Anthony Sayer says:

          Extraordinary that an American would promote him/herself so much. All about the music, of course…

      • Judy says:

        Yeah and I doubt Mutter was like “you must come with me”, etc. I wish Lina would not self promote SO much. Just do your thing and show the goods and the goods in return will be well deserved then.

  • chris says:

    Huh….Muti cancelled concerts in April due to having COVID.

  • Nice says:

    He seems to enjoy catching covid, otherwise he would use a mask at least sometimes; didn t he had covid a couple of months ago?
    A serial contaminated

    • Joe Green says:

      Lol, if you got tested every day, you would be likely shown to be a serial contaminated as well. Mask or non mask. Covid is not going anywhere

  • Philip Nash says:

    Very happy to hear Muti is replaced for the Saturday concert I will attend.

  • Anthony Sayer says:

    If you want to get covid, just get jabbed three times. Never fails.

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