SRINAGAR: Indian orchestral conductor and musical director known for his expressiveness on the podium and for his interpretation of the operatic repertoire, Zubin Mehta is set to perform at the historic Shalimar Bagh here on September 7 and chief organiser German Ambassador Michael Steiner is confident that the programme would go without a hitch.
At a press conference at the German Embassy here, the ambassador said: “We will only hold it if security situation allows.” He said he was confident the event would go without any glitch.
Sitar maestro Bhajan Soprori and secretary of the Jammu and Kashmir Cultural Academy Khalid Bhashir Ahmed were also present on the occasion.
When asked whether Zubin Mehta’s nationality and background may cause trouble in the Valley, he said: “It is purely a musical event and it has nothing to do with politics.”
“With the magic power of music, crossing geographical, political and cultural borders, we want to reach the hearts of Kashmiris with a message of hope and encouragement,” he added.
In case of bad weather, the venue will be shifted to the convention hall of the Kashmir University.
As many as 1,500 guests have been invited for the event, being organised by the German Embassy in association with the Jammu and Kashmir government. It is being sponsored by a number of non-governmental organisations as well as multinationals.
The ambassador has been working to organise the concert for the past one year.
Compositions of Beethoven, Hayden, and Tchaikovsky will be played by the Bavarian State Orchestra from Munich, one of the well-known orchestras of the world. This will be a cultural tribute to Kashmir and its warm-hearted people, said ambassador Steiner.
Zubin Mehta made his conducting debut in Vienna in 1958 and later that year won First Prize in the International Conductors’ Competition in Liverpool.
In 1978 he became Music Director of the New York Philharmonic, and when he left the orchestra at the end of the 1990/91 season he became the longest-serving Music Director in the orchestra’s history.
He is also Music Director for Life of the Israel Philharmonic and has for the past thirty years been an annual visitor to the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras. His operatic work has taken him to the Metropolitan Opera, The Royal Opera House, La Scala, Milan, the Vienna Staatsoper, and to the Salzburg, Florence and Munich Festivals.
His many honours include the Padma Bhushan (Order of the Lotus), India’s highest cultural award, given to people of outstanding accomplishment in the arts and sciences.
Meanwhile, the state government has appointed two high-level committees to ensure that no trouble takes place during the event.
One committee is headed by Principal Home Secretary and has Additional Director General of Police as one of its members.
Another committee, tasked with looking into logistic support, comprises high officials of tourism, floriculture and other departments, besides the deputy commissioner of Srinagar. KO Monitoring
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