Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra Music Director Mario Venzago has canceled his plans to conduct concerts Nov. 9-10 at Hilbert Circle Theatre due to an unspecified illness.

This is the 59-year-old conductor's first ISO cancellation since he was named as the music director in April 2002. Based in Heidelberg, Germany, Venzago has typically conducted 11 weekends of concerts in Indianapolis each season.

Ana Papakhian, the ISO's director of communications, said that Venzago is expected to recover, and to be in Indianapolis for his next scheduled concerts in January.

The ISO's Nov. 9-10 program, called "Venzago Conducts Schumann," had been billed as a highlight of the orchestra's fall lineup. The music of Robert Schumann is one of the Swiss-born conductor's specialties.

The program featuring guest violinist Leila Josefowicz will go on, but with James Gaffigan, associate conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra, leading the orchestra. Selections on the first half of the program, Schumann's "Overture, Scherzo and Finale," and Oliver Knussen's Violin Concerto, will not change. After intermission, Gaffigan will conduct Dvorak's Symphony No. 8, in place of Schumann's Fourth.