Riccardo Muti. Chicago Symphony Orchestra

Appointment with Riccardo Muti at the Opera House conducting the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, in The Enchanted Lake - Fairytale Scene Symphonic Poem, Op. 62 by Anatolij Ljadov, L'oiseau de feu - Second Suite by Igor Stravinskij and Aus Italien (From Italy) - Symphonic Fantasy in G major, Op. 16 by Richard Strauss.

The Enchanted Lake is a symphonic poem composed by Anatoly Lyadov in 1908; the subtitle Fairytale scene alludes to a fantastic glimpse of nature, the large Ilmen lake, uninhabited, a quiet and mysterious place. The composition conveys sensations of contemplative serenity, the movement of the water is evoked by the harp and celesta chords, while the melody of the flute evokes the twinkling of the stars. The enchanted lake is not based on the development of a musical theme, but on the interweaving of instrumentation and harmonic transformations.

The Second Suite - from 1919 - of the three in the ballet L'oiseau de feu by Igor Stravinsky, is the most performed and widespread, involves the use of a reduced orchestra and is made up of seven numbers.

The symphonic fantasy Aus Italien (From Italy) - Symphonic Fantasy in G major, Op. 16, finally, constitutes one of Richard Strauss's first important compositions in the genre of the great symphonic poems, of which he will become the master.

Written for large orchestra, it was developed in the summer of 1886 during a stay in Italy: Strauss's music is in fact inspired by picturesque and evocative views, ruins, landscapes and popular melodies as had already been done, for example, by Berlioz and Mendelssohn. Sketched on the return journey and finished in Munich in 1886, the score was performed for the first time in 1887 under the direction of the same author.

Photo credits: official poster of the Opera House of Rome