Riccardo Muti

Riccardo Muti, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI (born 28 July 1941) is an Italian conductor. He holds two music directorships: the Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the Orchestra Giovanile Luigi Cherubini. Previously he held posts at the Maggio Musicale in Florence, the Philharmonia Orchestra in London, the Philadelphia Orchestra, the Teatro alla Scala in Milan and the Salzburg Whitsun Festival. Muti has been a prolific recording artist and has received dozens of honors, titles, awards and prizes. He is particularly associated with the music of Giuseppe Verdi.

Muti is married to Maria Cristina Mazzavillani, the founder and director of the Ravenna Festival. They have two sons and a daughter.

Honours

• Muti is an Honorary Member of the Royal Academy of Music since 1981.
• Honorary degree, University of Pavia, 1996.
• Muti was made an honorary Knight Commander of the Order of the British Empire KBE in 2000.
• Muti was awarded a doctorate honoris causa by the Universitat de Barcelona on 13 October 2003.
• In 2010, Muti was awarded the title of Commandeur de la Légion d'honneur by French First Lady Carla Bruni-Sarkozy.
• In 2011, Muti was awarded Russia's Order of Friendship.

Awards

• 2000Wolf Prize in the Arts (music)
• 2011 Birgit Nilsson Prize
• 2011 Prince of Asturias Award for the Arts.