It isn’t often that you get to see an orchestra performing all dressed up in elaborately ghoulish costumes, but the Civic Orchestra of Chicago, i.e., the superb training orchestra of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, does exactly that in what has become an annual Halloween tradition called “Hallowed Haunts” where Orchestra Hall is transformed into a gigantic haunted house and performs “spooky” music. The audience for this family friendly event is also encouraged to come in costume as well, so that shy orchestra members won’t feel too self-conscious (actually, most of them really get into this) and there are pre-concert family activities starting at 1:30pm throughout the hall. This year’s program is conducted by Richard Kaufman and includes such supernatural-themed staples as Mussorgsky’s “Night on Bald Mountain” (think “Fantasia” climax with leaping devils and skeletons) and Khachaturian’s “Galop” from “Masquerade” Suite and the haunting “Evening Prayer” from Humperdick’s “Hansel and Gretel.” Film composer John Williams’ “Flying Theme” from “E.T.,” which is the music used as E.T. flies past the full moon on Halloween night, of course, will be heard along with Williams’ music from “Hook” and a medley of songs from the Broadway version of “Peter Pan.” The Pumpkin King himself, Danny Elfman, will be represented with music from “Spiderman” but the scariest music of all will be by Nina Rota—whose student Riccardo Muti is the newly appointed music director of the Chicago Symphony—his score from Fellini’s 1970 “The Clowns.” (Dennis Polkow)
October 25 at Orchestra Hall, 220 S. Michigan, (312)294-3000. 3pm. $10-$60.
Scenes From A Season: An Inside Look at a Year with Riccardo Muti and the Chicago Symphony Walking out onto the stage last September, Muti was receiving his first applause at Orchestra Hall in over nineteen months. The celebrated Italian-born music director of the CSO, who had turned eighty two months earlier, was clearly moved. What made the acclamation unusual was that the hall was empty. The orchestra itself was providing heartfelt and sustained applause, greeting Muti…
