THE PROGRAM
BELLINI – Overture to Norma
SCHUBERT – Symphony No. 8 in B Minor, D. 759 (Unfinished)
TCHAIKOVSKY – Symphony No. 4 in F Minor, Op. 36

Founded in 1891, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra is consistently hailed as one of the greatest orchestras in the world. The tenure of Riccardo Muti, the CSO’s tenth music director from 2010 until 2023 and now its Music Director Emeritus for Life, has been distinguished by the strength of his artistic partnership with the orchestra and his dedication to performing great works of the past and present, including numerous world premieres. The CSO commands a vast repertoire ranging from Baroque to contemporary. Performing in over 150 concerts each year, the CSO's talented musicians are the driving force behind the ensemble's famous sound heard on best-selling recordings as well as in performances in Chicago and on tour throughout the United States and around the globe.

The history of the ensemble began in 1889, when Theodore Thomas, the leading conductor in America and a recognized music pioneer, was invited by Chicago businessman Charles Norman Fay to establish a symphony orchestra. Thomas’s aim to build a permanent orchestra of the highest quality was realized at the first concerts in October 1891 in the Auditorium Theatre. Thomas served as music director until his death in January 1905, just three weeks after the dedication of Orchestra Hall, the Orchestra’s permanent home designed by Daniel Burnham.

Since 1916, recording has been a significant part of the Orchestra’s activities. Recordings by the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus – including recent releases on CSO Resound, the Orchestra’s independent recording label launched in 2007 – have earned 65 Grammy awards from the Recording Academy.

Returning for a much-anticipated encore performance in the acoustically-perfect Steinmetz Hall, CSO promises guests the experience of hearing some of the world’s most consistently recognized and finest brass players, along with an entire ensemble of elite musicians exemplifying artistic excellence at the highest level.

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