Life and Important Facts about Double Bassist, Conductor and Composer Zubin Mehta  from our ‘Know the Great Composers and Classical Musicians’ Series.

About Maestro Zubin Mehta

Zubin Mehta is one of the most celebrated and respected conductors of Western classical music in the world. He has been the music director emeritus of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) and conductor emeritus of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, among many other prestigious positions. He has also been a champion of opera and has conducted some of the most memorable performances at the Vienna State Opera, the Bavarian State Opera, the Teatro San Carlo and other renowned venues. In this blog post, we will explore his remarkable life story, his musical legacy and his contribution to the society.

Mehta was born on 29 April 1936 in Bombay (now Mumbai), India, into a Parsi family. His father, Mehli Mehta, was a self-taught violinist who founded and conducted the Bombay Symphony Orchestra and later the American Youth Symphony. Mehta received his early musical education from his father, who taught him to play the piano and violin. He also learned Gujarati, his native language, from his mother, Tehmina Mehta.

When he was 18, he enrolled in the Vienna State Music Academy, where he studied under Hans Swarowsky, a renowned teacher of conducting. He graduated after three years with a diploma as a conductor. He began winning international competitions, such as the Liverpool International Conducting Competition in 1958, which gave him the opportunity to conduct the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic at age 21.

He soon gained experience by substituting for celebrated maestros such as Charles Munch, Eugene Ormandy and George Szell throughout the world. He also impressed Bruno Walter, who invited him to conduct at Carnegie Hall in New York in 1961. That same year, he became the music director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra, a position he held until 1967.

In 1962, he was appointed as the music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, becoming the youngest music director ever for any major North American orchestra. He transformed the orchestra into a world-class ensemble and introduced innovative programs that attracted new audiences. He also championed contemporary composers such as John Cage, Luciano Berio and Krzysztof Penderecki. He remained in Los Angeles until 1978.

In 1969, he was appointed as the music adviser to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which he had first conducted in 1961. He developed a close bond with the orchestra and its members, who admired his charisma and passion. He also supported various causes related to Israel and its people, such as performing for wounded soldiers during the Six-Day War and conducting concerts in bomb shelters during the Gulf War. In 1981, he was named as the music director for life of the IPO.

From 1978 to 1991, he was also the music director of the New York Philharmonic, succeeding Leonard Bernstein. He led the orchestra in many acclaimed performances at Lincoln Center and around the world. He also collaborated with some of the finest soloists and singers of his time, such as Itzhak Perlman, Placido Domingo and Luciano Pavarotti.

Mehta has also been a prolific opera conductor since his debut at La Scala in Milan in 1963 with Aida . He has conducted more than 2,000 opera performances at various opera houses around the world. Some of his most notable operatic achievements include conducting Turandot at the Forbidden City in Beijing in 1998; conducting Nabucco at Masada in Israel in 2010; conducting Aida at Luxor in Egypt in 1987; and conducting Tosca at Castel Sant’Angelo in Rome in 1992.

Mehta has received numerous honors and awards for his musical excellence and humanitarian work. He is an honorary citizen of both Florence and Tel Aviv and was made an honorary member of
the Vienna State Opera in 1997 and of the Bavarian State Opera in 2006. The title of Honorary Conductor was bestowed on him by numerous orchestras throughout the world. In 2006, he received
the Kennedy Center Honor and in 2008 he was honored by the Japanese Imperial Family with
the Praemium Imperiale . In 2016, he was appointed Honorary Conductor of
the Teatro San Carlo in Naples.

Some interesting facts about Mehta are:

• He is fluent in English, German, Italian, French and Spanish.
• He is an avid cricket fan and supports India’s national team.
• He is married to Nancy Kovack , a former actress who appeared in movies such as Jason and the Argonauts and Star Trek .
• He has four children from his previous marriage to Carmen Lasky, a Canadian soprano.
• He is the brother of Zarin Mehta, a former executive director of the New York Philharmonic.
• He has written two autobiographies: Zubin Mehta: The Score of My Life (2008) and Zubin Mehta: A Musical Journey (2017).

Mehta has been a musical legend and a cultural ambassador for more than six decades. He has enriched the lives of millions of people with his artistry and his generosity. He has also contributed to the society by promoting peace, harmony and dialogue through music. He is truly a maestro of our times.

Zubin Mehta is a musical genius who has enriched our lives with his artistry and passion. He has contributed to the society by spreading joy, harmony, and culture through his music. He is an inspiration to all aspiring musicians and a treasure to humanity.

We hope you enjoyed this blog post about maestro Zubin Mehta. If you want to learn more about him, you can visit his official website or read his biography . You can also listen to some of his recordings or watch some of his concerts online. You will be amazed by his talent and charisma.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned for more posts about classical music composers, musicians and conductors!

Images: From Public Domain

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