Muti brings Chicago Symphony Orchestra to Russia
MOSCOW — The Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of world-renowned conductor Riccardo Muti is performing in Russia for the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union.
Muti and the U.S. ambassador described the visit as part of President Barack Obama's efforts to improve relations between the U.S. and Russia.
He said Chicago, the hometown of the U.S. president, has become “one of the symbols where all the people in the world look, hoping that the world ... can reach a future of peace and mutual understanding.”
The orchestra on Wednesday performs the first of two concerts at the Moscow Conservatory and then travels to St. Petersburg for a single concert on Saturday.
About half of the musicians were with the orchestra when it last performed in Moscow in November 1990.