The baton to conduct this Vienna New Year’s concert is that of Riccardo Muti, 2011 Prince of Asturias Prize for the Arts, his seventh time leading the Philharmonic. This maestro was born in Naples, on July 28, 1941. Considered by many the greatest conductor in the world. A living legendheir to Arturo Toscanini, one of the greatest conductors of all time.
world heritage
Although he is already over eighty years old remains very active, with tours and concerts all over the world and has maintained a contract with the Chicago Symphony until 2022. Muti always speaks with enormous passion about his profession, which he explains in his book ‘The Infinity Between the Notes. My journey in music’ (Solferino, 2019): “The musician is a profession that is chosen out of passion, one could almost say that it is a mission: in constant search for an interpretive truth, for an unattainable perfection.”
That passion continues to drive him to maintain great activity, without confines, considering that “Music unites people.” On his 80th birthday, Italy came to recognize him as one of its most illustrious citizens, “a heritage of humanity,” defined the newspaper ‘Il Foglio’.
And ‘El Cultural’ highlighted his virtues, such as the love of beauty, the cult of perfectionism, a deep ethical idea of workhis fight for a serious education system throughout the country. «Simple character who flees from acclaim«, they pointed out. For this reason, he has said that when he dies he does not want applause: “At my funeral I want silence, if someone applauds I will bother them again at night.”
In an interview for ‘Corriere’, in 2021, Muti regretted that orchestra conductors gesticulate a lot, but study little and do not know Latin. The teacher no longer recognized himself even in how his profession is carried out today: «Orchestra conducting has often become a profession of convenience. Often, young people come to direct without long and serious studies. They face monumental works at the beginning of their activity, based on the effectiveness of the gesture, of gesticulation.
«I place myself among those people who try give useful instructions», he says. He has often complained about the deficiencies that politicians do not remedy, particularly referring to culture and music: “There are no orchestras, music teaching in schools is non-existent,” he stated.
He has been guest conductor of the prestigious Salzburg Festival and the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras since 1971, is honorary doctorate from twenty universities and member of the Academies of Santa Cecilia (Rome). He is a Knight of the Grand Cross of Italy and the British Empire, is a Commander of the Order of Malta and He is decorated with the Legion of Honor of France and the Russian Order of Friendship. And four years ago, he was awarded the grand Gold Medal of Merit for his services to the Republic of Austria. With this history behind him, there is no doubt about the choice made for this year.
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