Zubin Mehta Will Return to Conduct Symphony Orchestra of India This August

Veteran Indian maestro Zubin Mehta returns to India to conduct the Symphony Orchestra of India (SOI) at the National Centre for the Performing Arts (NCPA) in Mumbai this August.

In the span of a week, on Aug. 17 and 18 and then Aug. 24 and 25, Mehta will conduct the SOI in four much-anticipated concerts featuring the compositions of Johann Strauss II and Richard Strauss.

Mehta was in India last year for SOI Autumn season as well, conducting the SOI for the first time in August 2023. He said at the time, “It is a really very fine orchestra that can be compared with a lot of good ensembles all over the world and I hope that I can come back very soon to India to play again.”

The repertoire for the Aug. 17 and 18 concerts – held at Jamshed Bhabha Theatre in NCPA – for Mehta and the SOI includes Chen Reiss as soprano with the music of Johann Strauss II, including pieces like “Overture to Die Feldermaus,” “Annen-polka, Op. 117,” “Frühlingsstimmen, Op. 410” and more.

For the concerts on Aug. 24 and 25, Mehta conducts the SOI for music by Richard Strauss, with soprano Krassimira Stoyanova. Pieces include “Don Juan,” “Four Last Songs” and “Ein Heldenleben.”

NCPA chairman and SOI co-founder Khushroo N. Suntook said in a statement about Mehta’s return, “The visit of Zubin Mehta has always been much anticipated, however, his performing with an Indian orchestra was met with tremendous enthusiasm last year. During his visit, Zubin was highly appreciative of the orchestra’s quality and promised to return to conduct the SOI soon. He has kept his word, and we are delighted to open our Autumn Season with him conducting the SOI in four concerts of two vastly different programmes.”

The SOI Autumn 2024 Season will be followed by the famed opera competition Operalia, coming to India for the first time and to be hosted by the NCPA in September. The SOI will be conducted by renowned tenor Plácido Domingo during the finale on Sept. 21.

Get details here.