Lavoro, lavoro

"Lavoro, lavoro, lavoro," was Giuseppe Verdi's secret to success. The idea of an unrelenting work ethic is what guides Riccardo Muti. "My credo," he says. This, from a wonderful interview on BBC Radio 3 hosted by Norman Lebrecht. Muti, the celebrated Italian conductor and now conductor of the Chicago Symphony, shares stories on his early professional life: how he got started, receiving the call from Herbert Von Karajan, and his thoughts on being a musician.

These Lebrecht interviews are not be missed, they are part of a series of intimate 45-minute portraits on classical musicians. The interviewer mitigates any superstar aplombs and allows for serious yet lighthearted discussions. Enjoy the recent Muti interview here: http://downloads.bbc.co.uk/podcasts/radio3/lebrecht/lebrecht_20120827-2315a.mp3