SINGAPORE - Next year, legendary conductor Zubin Mehta - and his beloved Israel Philharmonic Orchestra - turn 80, and Singapore fans will have a chance to celebrate with him in a one-night only concert at the Esplanade Concert Hall.
Mehta will lead the 110-member Israel Philharmonic - each member handpicked by him - when he returns to Singapore next January for the two-hour concert, in a year that marks both his 80th birthday and the orchestra's 80th season.
The performance on Jan 7 will offer an array of classical masterpieces with French, Russian and German origins, under Mehta's deft baton. They include Beethoven's Leonore Overture 3, Ravel's La Valse, Tchaikovsky's Symphony No 6 "Pathetique"
Mehta, who is known for his technique and his impassioned conducting style, was last in Singapore in 2014, delivering a sold-out performance that drew members of parliament and dignitaries including Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean and the Israeli Ambassador to Singapore, Madam Yael Rubinstein.
He first played in Singapore in 1984, to an audience at the Victoria Concert Hall that included Singapore's founding prime minister Lee Kuan Yew.
Mehta recalls: "I spoke to the former prime minister about building a larger concert hall in Singapore at the time. Now, there is the Esplanade Concert Hall and it will be the first time conducting the Israel Philharmonic in this wonderful venue."
Born in Bombay, Mehta had by the age of 25 conducted the Vienna, Berlin and Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, and stands out as the lone Indian conductor in high-flying Western classical music circles. In 1981, he was awarded the title of Music Director for Life by the Israel Philharmonic, and has since led the orchestra in over 3,000 concerts alongside artists like Andrew Bocelli.
Mehta is also Honorary Conductor of for a stable of heavyweights, including the prestigious Vienna Philarhamonic, the Munich Philharmonic and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. The decorated conductor also has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
BOOK IT
Maestro Zubin Mehta and the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Where: Esplanade Concert Hall
When: Jan 7, 2016, 7.30pm
Admission: $90 to $450 through Sistic (excluding booking fees)
Tickets will go on sale on 10 Nov.
