Maazel to replace Muti at Chicago Symphony’s Seoul concert

Internationally acclaimed American conductor Lorin Maazel will lead the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Super Concert in Seoul on Feb. 6-7 at the Seoul Arts Center, replacing the orchestra’s chief conductor, Riccardo Muti.

Muti on Friday announced that he will drop out of the orchestra’s Asia tour this year due to a medical condition. He is reportedly suffering from a severe flu.

“I feel very sad, frustrated and upset to leave my wonderful musicians and audiences in Chicago and on this very important tour that I was expecting with great anticipation,” Muti said in a press release.

“I look forward to returning to Chicago in April when we can once again make beautiful music together.”

Muti’s withdrawal from CSO concerts is the latest in a series of health-related cancellations he has made since he took the helm of the orchestra hailed as the “best U.S. orchestra” by Gramophone magazine in 2010.

Maazel, music director of Munich Philharmonic Orchestra and one of the most highly paid musicians, will take over the lead of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra in a program of Stravinsky Divertimento from “The Fairy Kiss,” Brahms’ Symphony No. 2, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3 “Eroica” and Mendelssohn’s Symphony No. 4 “Italian.”

Maazel is perhaps one of the most Korea-friendly conductors, having visited the country 10 times. He will visit Korea again with the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra on April 21-22 at Seoul Arts Center, performing Beethoven.

By Bae Ji-sook (baejisook@heraldcorp.com)