Review: Muti is back at the CSO and so is the drama — at the opera, on the silver screen and onstage

“…Rota’s yo-yoing between operatic pathos and Sicilian folk music in “The Godfather” is the kind of expert dichotomy one finds in the Turkish bands of Beethoven 9’s finale, or the tragicomic interludes of a Mahler symphony. The musicians behind those rustic moments were bowled over with enthusiastic, and deserving, applause on Thursday, including accordionist Ronnie Kuller, CSO violinist-turned-mandolinist Simon Michal and clarinetist Michael Tran, whose whimsy and skill across both Rota scores was inspiring.” – Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune