Around the Music Festival

Conductor Zubin Mehta kicked off his 90th birthday commemorative world tour on January 15, conducting the Belgrade Philharmonic Orchestra at the National Centre for the Performing Arts in his birthplace of Mumbai, India. Mehta’s birthday is April 29, and the commemorative tour will continue until February of next year.

The concerts in Mumbai took place over two days, the 15th and 16th. The program on the 15th featured Mozart’s Violin Concerto No. 5 with Pinchas Zukerman as soloist and Beethoven’s Symphony No. 3, “Eroica.” On the 16th, Beethoven’s Piano Concerto “Emperor” with Lang Lang as soloist and Symphony No. 7.

The Belgrade Philharmonic is one of the orchestras Mehta has conducted since the beginning of his career. When the orchestra was unable to perform during the civil war in the former Yugoslavia, he conducted its celebratory concert upon its reorganization as the orchestra of Serbia’s capital in 2000, and has continued to guest conduct there almost every year since.

On the 15th, preceding the concert, a documentary film by director Boris Milicovic following Maestro Mehta and the Belgrade Philharmonic was also screened. Following the performance, an official reception was held at the Taj Mahal Palace Hotel.

PHOTO：Mehli Mehta Music Foundation