In Thursday’s (11/29) Chicago Tribune, Heather Gillers writes, “You can’t put a price on genius. But when it comes in the form a world-renowned maestro, the bill usually tops $1 million. The Chicago Symphony Orchestra is no exception: Superstar conductor Riccardo Muti earned about $2.2 million in salary, performance fees, and recording and broadcast fees in 2011, his first full calendar year with the symphony, according to a CSO estimate provided to the Tribune this week—the first time Muti’s annual pay has been made public. CSO Association President Deborah Rutter said Muti, who became CSO music director Sept. 1, 2010, ‘has brought to the CSO and Chicago a musical genius and charisma that has transformed the musical landscape of our city and the classical music world.’ Contributions and ticket revenue reached all-time highs this year at the CSO. ‘The musicians continue to be head over heels in love with their music director,’ Rutter said, ‘and we have seen that pride extend throughout the city.’ Conductors’ responsibilities vary widely from city to city and from conductor to conductor. For example, Muti’s predecessor, Daniel Barenboim, earned $1.9 million in his last full tax year, 2005, but some of that payment was for work as a soloist.” The article also discusses the salaries of music directors at other orchestras as well as of CSO musicians.
Posted November 29, 2012
