Orchestra del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino / Zubin Mehta

Global citizen and once-in-a-hundred-years musician

On the occasion of his 85th birthday in April this year, Deutsche Welle named Zubin Mehta a »world citizen and musician of the century«. That is no exaggeration: the Indian maestro can look back at a career spanning half a century as one of the world’s leading star conductors – and one who feels at home wherever he goes. He describes himself as »Viennese but born in India«. He lives in the USA and was the music director of the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra for more than 40 years. The living legend is now finally coming to the Elbphilharmonie for two concerts, where he’ll be conducting the opera orchestra from Florence. After yesterday’s debut, today’s programme features Mahler and Bruckner, two composers on whom Mehta is a recognised expert.