We wanted to share an article in "A" magazine featuring Riccardo Muti's only daughter, Chiara Muti, where she spoke about her recent July 2008 marriage to pianist David Fray [the magazine misspelled his last name as "Frey"], how she fell in love with him, and the small intricacies of their new life together.
Before they had met, Chiara left Italy for a new life in Paris, so that she could immerse herself in a different environment. After four months of single life and overcoming her fear of being alone, she traveled with her dad to Perugia where Muti was on tour with her future husband, Fray. She recalled that when she first heard him play the piano, she thought of Glenn Gould. They met again shortly after in Paris, and it was true love.
Now they live in Paris together (with two dogs) in a house in Montmartre, where David has a floor to himself to study and to practice. They lead a very quiet social life, sharing dinner parties with friends, and going to the cinema & theater, and despite the roughly eight years of age difference, there are no problems. They speak to each other in a mix of Italian and French as they are both still learning their new languages.
Since marrying, Chiara has overcome her fear of flying and follows her husband everywhere, saying she can't bear to be away from him for more than 2 days. They think about possibly performing together (she as an orator and him on piano) but it's still up in the air. She insists she's a huge goof and David's good humor is infectious.
In the group photo below, a traditional hit with the Opera Chic readership: the impossible hawtness of the Muti spawn, architect Francesco and soccer-playing, adorably scruffy Domenico, lucky winners of the DNA lottery -- those Muti jawlines, those cheekbones! -- thanks to mamma Cristina & papà Riccardo.
~*~