Riccardo Muti has much to say about Giuseppe Verdi, the composer and the man to whom he has given over a lifetime of study. His examination of the great composer and dramatist has not been purely academic but comes out of his experience in preparing and performing these scores again and again. Between rehearsals for the recent Chicago Symphony Orchestra performances of Macbeth and the Verdi Requiem, the CSO’s music director was asked to reflect on some particulars of his perspective to illuminate some of his wider discoveries and beliefs. For the full conversation, as it aired on WFMT-FM and wfmt.com, go to wfmt.com/criticalthinking.

PHOTO: Riccardo Muti congratulates the cast of “Macbeth,” including soprano Tatiana Serjan (far left), baritone Luca Salsi and tenor Francesco Meli. | Todd Rosenberg Photography