Jerusalem (AFP)
The famous 83-year-old Indian conductor Zubin Mehta heads to Tel Aviv on Sunday for his last concert as artistic director of the Israeli Philharmonic, before retiring after 50 years with the ensemble.
The "last concert under the baton of Maestro Mehta before his retirement from the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra" will be broadcast online via a paid service, says the website of the institution.
Zubin Mehta was appointed Music Advisor to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in 1969, then Artistic Director in 1977, a title conferred on him for life in 1981.
He has "directed over 3,000 concerts with this extraordinary ensemble, including tours on five continents," according to his official biography.
During his long career, Mr. Mehta has also been Music Director of the Philharmonic Orchestras in Los Angeles and New York.
His tenure at the head of the New York Philharmonic Orchestra "was the longest in the history of the orchestra," according to the institution's website.
The maestro has also conducted other orchestras around the world, including Austria, Germany and Italy.
Born in Bombay, India, in 1936, he is the son of Mehli Mehta, who founded the Bombay Symphony Orchestra.
With his brother Zarin, Zubin Mehta co-directs the Mehli Mehta Music Foundation in Bombay, where children can learn Western classical music.
© 2019 AFP