Scottish conductor Donald Runnicles will substitute for Jaap van Zweden as guest conductor for the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s subscription concerts Thursday, Friday and Sunday at Symphony Center. Van Zweden has withdrawn on the advice of his doctor, according to a statement released by the orchestra.
Mahler’s Symphony No. 5 will remain on the program as scheduled, but the Mendelssohn Violin Concerto in E minor will replace Bartok’s violin Rhapsodies on the first half. Concertmaster Robert Chen will remain as soloist. The change also applies to the CSO performance Saturday at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign.
Runnicles is general music director of the Deutsche Oper Berlin, chief conductor of the BBC Scottish Symphony Orchestra and principal guest conductor of the Atlanta Symphony. The Atlanta orchestra has postponed the start of its 2014-15 season until Nov. 8, pending resolution of contentious labor contract negotiations.
