GREAT ORCHESTRAS – GREAT CONDUCTORS
– Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Symphony no 41, “Jupiter”
– Gustav Mahler: Symphony no 5
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra
Conductor: Zubin Mehta
Zubin Mehta conducts the Israel Philharmonic in two major symphonic works: Mozart’s Jupiter Symphony, his last and one of his most important symphonies, and Mahler’s Fifth.
The Orchestra has been booked thanks to the generous support of a Greek from abroad, who wishes to remain anonymous.
The proceeds of the event will be donated for the purposes of the “ELIZA- Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children”
The Israel Philharmonic Orchestra was founded in 1936 by Bronislaw Huberman and its inaugural concert, on 26 December 1936, was conducted by Arturo Toscanini. The IPO plays in subscription series, including a special annotated Youth Concert Series, special concerts, concerts as part of the “Arts for the People” project throughout Israel, etc.
The IPO annually tours the world’s cultural centers and prestigious festivals. The orchestra has hosted most of the world’s greatest conductors and soloists, and it also does much to develop Israeli artists and young talents from Israel and abroad.
In 1969 Maestro Zubin Mehta was appointed Music Advisor to the IPO and in 1977 he became its Music Director. Leonard Bernstein was named IPO Laureate Conductor in 1988, in 1992 Kurt Masur was appointed Honorary Guest Conductor and since the 2001-02 season Yoel Levi has been Principal Guest Conductor of the IPO.
Since the 2011-12 season, Italian conductor Gianandrea Noseda has been Chief Guest Conductor of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.
Zubin Mehta was born in 1936 in Bombay and received his first musical education under his father’s Mehli Mehta’s guidance who was a noted concert violinist and the founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. By 1961 he had already conducted the Vienna, Berlin and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras and has recently celebrated 50 years of musical collaboration with all three ensembles.
In 1969 he was appointed Music Advisor to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and was made Music Director of that orchestra in 1977. In 1981 the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra awarded him the title of Music Director for life. Zubin Mehta has conducted over three thousand concerts with this extraordinary ensemble including tours spanning five continents. Zubin Mehta’s list of awards and honours is extensive and includes the
“Nikisch-Ring” bequeathed to him by Karl Böhm. He is an honorary citizen of both Florence and Tel Aviv and was made an honorary member of the Vienna State Opera in 1997, of the Bavarian State Opera in 2006 and of the Gesellschaft der Musikfreunde Wien in 2007. He is “Honorary Conductor” of the Vienna Philharmonic, Munich Philharmonic, Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra, Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, and Bavarian State Orchestra.
Zubin Mehta continues to support the discovery and furtherance of musical talents all over the world. Together with his brother Zarin he is a co-chairman of the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation in Bombay where more than 200 children are educated in Western Classical Music.