Zubin Mehta for his 80th – The Gala Concert in Mumbai

On April 29, 2016, Zubin Mehta will celebrate his 80th birthday. On April 17, however, he will offer himself a birthday present of his own, together with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, which has appointed him Musical Director for Life. The event will take place in the new National Centre for the Performing Arts in Mehta’s birthplace, Mumbai, in India.

It will be a celebratory concert with works by three of Mehta’s favorite composers: The program will include Dvoráks “Carnival Overture”, Beethoven’s Concerto for Violin in D major, Op. 61 as well as Ravels’ “La Valse” and the second suite of “Daphnis & Chloé”. Pinchas Zukerman, one of Mehta’s closest colleagues – who has also always had a close connection to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra – will be the soloist.

80 Years Israel Philharmonic Orchestra – The Jubilee Concert

Over the past 47 years, Zubin Metha has given more than 3000 concerts with “his” Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, individually selecting each musician himself. “We are one great family. One can both see and hear that,” explains Metha on the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the IPO. Founded in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman as the Palestine Symphony Orchestra, ist inaugural concert on 26 December was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. 80 years later on the very same day, Zubin Mehta, the orchestra’s musical director for life, conducted the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in a veritable Jubilee Concert with an all-Beethoven program. Mehta was joined by his longtime artistic friends Pinchas Zukerman, Amanda Forsyth, and Yefim Bronfman. PROGRAM Beethoven: Leonore Overture No. 3; Violin Concerto; Triple Concerto for Violin, Cello and Piano