CSO Welcomes Trumpet Soloist Esteban Batallán in Muti-Led Program

Riccardo Muti conducts Telemann, Haydn, and Schubert with guest artist Batallán making his CSO debut

Mar. 22, 2026 at 11:00pm

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This week, longtime Chicago Symphony Orchestra Music Director Emeritus Riccardo Muti leads the orchestra in a program featuring concertos by Telemann and Michael Haydn, with Principal Trumpet Esteban Batallán making his CSO solo debut. The concert also includes Schubert's Fourth Symphony, as well as historic RCA recordings of Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite and R. Strauss's Der Bürger als Edelmann conducted by former CSO Music Director Fritz Reiner.

Why it matters

Muti's return to the CSO podium is always an eagerly anticipated event, and the opportunity to hear Principal Trumpet Esteban Batallán as a featured soloist adds to the excitement. The program showcases the orchestra's versatility, ranging from Baroque concertos to Romantic symphonic works, as well as highlighting the CSO's rich history through the inclusion of recordings led by legendary former Music Director Fritz Reiner.

The details

Muti will lead the CSO in concertos by Telemann and Michael Haydn, with Batallán as the featured soloist on trumpet. The program also includes Schubert's Symphony No. 4, as well as historic RCA recordings of Prokofiev's Lieutenant Kijé Suite and R. Strauss's Der Bürger als Edelmann conducted by former CSO Music Director Fritz Reiner.

  • The concert will take place on March 22, 2026.

The players

Riccardo Muti

Music Director Emeritus for Life of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, renowned Italian conductor.

Esteban Batallán

Principal Trumpet of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, making his CSO solo debut.

Fritz Reiner

Sixth Music Director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, known for his recordings of the orchestra's repertoire.

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What they’re saying

“Muti's return to the CSO podium is always an eagerly anticipated event, and the opportunity to hear Principal Trumpet Esteban Batallán as a featured soloist adds to the excitement.”

— Lisa Simeone, Radio Host

What’s next

Tickets for the March 22nd concert are on sale now through the CSO website and box office.

The takeaway

This concert showcases the Chicago Symphony Orchestra's continued commitment to presenting a diverse range of classical music, from Baroque concertos to Romantic symphonic works, while also honoring the orchestra's rich history through the inclusion of recordings led by legendary former Music Director Fritz Reiner.