The Sound of Muti

The Chicago Symphony Orchestra had it first concert last week after over a year-and-a-half.  They've tried to fill in the spaces with a pretty aggressive and interesting online presence, but it's not the same as being at Symphony Center.

Its Music Director Riccardo Mutii addressed the audience with impromptu comments before the concert began.  He explained that since English wasn't his first language, it was difficult to express all his thoughts on the occasion, which is why he didn't want to write anything down and wanted to speak more from the heart.  If he did so this superbly, talking about arts and culture and what it all does for society and, most interestingly, how society is impacted when its missing, I can only imagine what he'd say in Italian.  It wasn't patting "fine arts" on the back, but noting all aspects of culture, and -- more specifically -- explaining movingly why it had impact.  His off-the-cuff words started out low-key, and then built into something far more moving that I suspect people there expected.

I thought he deserved today's opening spot.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xe81-eHGc0w