Every conductor stamps his character on the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.

The late Sir Georg Solti ruled his musicians with an iron baton. "They are my children," he once said imperiously -- children who earned him 24 of his 31 Grammy Awards.

Retired maestro Daniel Barenboim was caring and continental, passionate about using music as a bridge to unite warring factions in the Middle East. The CSO members "are my colleagues," he said.

Enter new CSO chief Riccardo Muti, 66, former music director of Milan's La Scala Opera House and the Philadelphia Orchestra. The charismatic Italian, who begins his five-year contract in the 2010-'11 season, could end up as the most quotable. The 10th maestro in CSO history is known as a thinking musician's musician. Some of his observations:

*" A conductor should guide rather than command."

*"Nobility of spirit has more to do with simplicity than ostentation, wisdom rather than wealth, commitment rather than ambition."

* The conductor's stand is not a continent of power, but rather an island of solitude."

Depp update

Looks like the Biograph Theater, site of gangster John Dillinger's fatal ambush, will make a cameo in "Public Enemies" after all. Despite the landmark's recent facelift, director Michael Mann is eager to include exterior shots of 2433 N. Lincoln Ave. into headliner Johnny Depp's big death scene. Shooting dates are hush-hush, but Mann and Depp have cased the joint -- the Victory Gardens mainstage -- and nearby buildings are sporting fake, 1930s-era storefronts.

Ring-a-ding

Break-a-leg wishes to Styx legend Dennis DeYoung, whose "Hunchback of Notre Dame" musical begins previews tonight at Bailiwick Theatre Rep. The Burr Ridge-based rocker wrote the score in the early 1990s and workshopped it for five years, only to find his Victor Hugo-inspired tale eclipsed a certain Disney cartoon (1996). His world premiere earned raves, but DeYoung wisely shelved "Hunchback" until time dimmed memories of the Disney downer. Directed by David Zak, his revised show stars George Andrew Wolff as the title bell-ringer, Liz Pazik as love interest Esmeralda and Jeremy Rill as the lustful priest Frollo. The May 19 world premiere is sold out.

Speaking of local rockers

Cheap Trick's concert Wednesday at Hard Rock Cafe Chicago was one long-delayed encore. The Rockford rockers performed at the eatery's grand opening in 1986. Rick Nielsen, Robin Zander, Tom Petersson and Bun E. Carlos served up such tunes as "I Want You to Want Me" and "The Flame" to mark Hard Rock's new memorabilia display. Treasures include the Gibson Les Paul played by Jimi Hendrix at the Fillmore East in 1968, a surprisingly sweet note from Keith Richards to a fan, and a sequined suit modeled by Shakira at United Center. Nielsen donated his 1988 Hamer Checkerboard guitar, joking "This wasn't staged. Yes, it was."

Grapevine

A new block of tickets go on sale at 10 a.m. today for "Wicked," the witchy musical nearing a record third year at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts. The tickets (July 29-Nov. 2) are available at Ticketmaster ... Saturday is National Train Day, celebrating the 139th anniversary of the nation's first transcontinental railroad and the public is invited to the free all-day celebration at Chicago's Union Station ... Zillionaire Sam Zell is pushing for a late-August sell of the Cubs ... Local bombshell-turned-activist Jenny McCarthy, 35, and beau Jim Carrey host an autism awareness rally June 4 in Washington, D.C.. The McAuley grad's son, Evan, 5, has the disorder ... Boomer icon Neil Diamond plays United Center July 26.