Tribute to Zubin Mehta (Special price)

"The overtures disc is probably the most enjoyable with some dashing interpretations of Rossini's 'William Tell' and Suppé's 'Poet and Peasant' amongst the most endearing. The Wagner excerpts are rip roaring especially the 'Rienzi' Overture."
(ClassicalNet April 2006)

Zubin Mehta was born in Bombay on 29 April 1936 and this set was released to mark his 70th birthday.

Mehta first studied medicine and he abandoned this when his musical interests developed and he embarked on studies at the Vienna Academy. Zubin Mehta first came to prominence in 1958 when he entered the conducting competition organised by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; winning the major prize there gave him the opportunity to work as a musical assistant in Liverpool for a year. Subsequent guest appearances with a variety of orchestras as geographically diverse as Los Angeles, Montreal and Vienna created very favourable impressions and he was appointed to Montreal for seven years (1960-67), and after starting as associate conductor at Los Angeles in 1960 he became director in 1962. Mehta's London debut was with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra in 1961 and his Covent Garden debut was in 1977 when he conducted Otello. Mehta was appointed to New York Philharmonic in 1976 and in July 1990 conducted what is now regarded as one of the most famous musical events of the LP and CD era, and one which resulted in unprecedented sales of a classical album: Carreras Domingo Pavarotti in Concert, live from the Baths at Caracalla in Rome.

Zubin Mehta made many records of late 19th and 20th century repertory for Decca and the first recordings with Los Angeles were made in 1967; the following year he made his first recordings for Decca with the other orchestra he was closely associated with at this time: Israel Philharmonic Orchestra. Other recordings on Decca include the legendary Turandot with Sutherland and Pavarotti. This 6-CD set is released as a 70th birthday tribute to this great conductor and includes recordings with Los Angeles and Israel Philharmonic Orchestras as well as some Wagner with Vienna Philharmonic.

Many of these recordings are making their first international appearance on CD