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Review: Klaus Mäkelä brings forth the innately raw, edgy intensity of Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 4

suntimes.com · 7h · first reportShare

While critical opinion might be mixed on Klaus Mäkelä, who will become the full-fledged artistic director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra next fall, the Chicago audience has completely embraced the 30-year-old Finnish conductor with his fresh-faced flair. That became very clear Thursday evening, when the CSO’s music director designate returned for his first-ever three-week run with the ensemble and received an ardent round of cheers before one note had even sounded. After more than a decade of steadfast artistic leadership from Riccardo Muti , one of the incontrovertibly great conductors of his generation, the CSO took a radically new direction in 2024 and put its faith in a young talent it hopes will become the next great conductor. Chicago Symphony Orchestra, Klaus Mäkelä, conductor When: Oct. 1-4 (“Mahler 9”), Oct. 8-9 and Oct. 10 (“Petrushka” and “Belshazzar’s Feast”), at Symphony Ball Where: Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan Ave. Tickets: Oct. 1-4, $59+ Info : chicagosymphony.org