Before the second concert at Milan, CSO musicians and patrons took in some of the city’s historic sites, including Santa Maria del Grazie, home of Leonardo da Vinci’s “The Last Supper.” Then it was back to La Scala, for a program of works by Hindemith, Elgar and Mussorgsky. The concerts mark the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s first appearance since 1981 at the hallowed venue, where Riccardo Muti himself was music director for nearly two decades.

With that sort of legacy, the orchestra and Muti have been hailed as conquering heroes during their residency; not surprisingly, a campaign, led by Corriere della Sera, the nation’s largest-circulation newspaper, and Italian cultural leaders, has been under way to bring the CSO and its maestro back to Milan. Before the encore, cheers greeted the evening’s biggest news: Muti confirmed, in remarks to the audience, that he and the orchestra have been invited to return to La Scala in 2020.

For more details, go to the tour page on cso.org and be sure to check for updates here on Sounds & Stories, the CSO’s Facebook page and other social media outlets, including Twitter and Instagram.