In Friday’s (2/4) Chicago Tribune, Mark Caro and John von Rhein report, “Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director Riccardo Muti will undergo surgery Monday to repair what the CSO is now characterizing as ‘multiple facial and jaw fractures’ sustained from a fall from the podium Thursday. The CSO announcement Friday afternoon was the first mention of the fractures, which the 69-year-old conductor suffered when he fainted and pitched forward onto his face during a rehearsal at Orchestra Hall. CSO Association President Deborah Rutter said Friday that she was at the hospital and spoke with Muti’s surgeon in the afternoon, and he revealed the extent of the injuries. … She said she spoke to Muti at the hospital only in passing as he spent the day shuttling among a series of tests in preparation for his surgery and to determine the underlying cause of his fainting. Anticipating that he wouldn’t be available to conduct in the days following his surgery, the CSO canceled the music director’s appearances through Feb. 15, which means that two weeks of his current three-week residency have been scratched. … Rutter said her team will wait until after his surgery to determine the fate of the ‘Muti Conducts Brahms’ program scheduled for Feb. 17-19.”
Posted February 7, 2011
