(Mary Ellen Matthews)
This week, Alec talks with Zarin Mehta who retired as president and executive director of the New York Philharmonic at the end of this past season. Mehta, an accountant by trade, grew up in 1940’s Bombay before it became the booming city of Mumbai. In Mehta’s memory, Bombay was more like a colonial fishing village.
Mehta talks with Alec about his father, who founded the Bombay Symphony Orchestra, his brother Zubin, and the realities of running a major arts organization in New York. As Mehta states, “Look, in the United States one does not look to the state for support of the arts.” Alec also talks with Carmen Mehta, Zarin’ Mehtas wife, and she offers her own insights into Mehta’s success.
READ | Interview Transcript
MUSICAL EXCERPTS HEARD IN ZARIN MEHTA CONVERSATION:
Mozart: Symphony No. 41, "Jupiter" (Lorin Maazel/NYP from 2006 DG Download #1)
Ravel: Daphnis et Chloe, Part 3 - 3eme tableau - Teil 3, Orchestre symphonique du Montreal / Choeur de l'Orchestre symphonique de Montreal; Charles Dutoit, (Decca Record Company, Ltd / London (Polygram Classics)
Beethoven: Overture to Egmont from Alan Gilbert: The Inaugural Season iTunes Pass, release 5 (Alan Gilbert/NYP)
Bach: The Well-Tempered Clavier, Book 1, Prelude & Fugue #1 In C, BWV 846.R; Andras Schiff, Piano; Decca Record Company, Ltd / London (Polygram Classics)
Schubert: Songs for Mezzo-Soprano & Orchestra (Anne-Sophie von Otter, mezzo/NYP/Alan Gilbert from 2011-12 iTunes Pass, release 4
Messiaen: Coleurs de la cite celeste (Colors of the celestial city) (Emmanuel Ax, piano/NYP/Alan Gilbert from 2010-12 iTunes Pass, release
Brahms: A German Requiem (Masur/NYP as recorded following the events of 9/11, Heidi Grant Murphy, soloist) (from NYP broadcast archives, 2001 "special" and NYP 11-50)
Strauss: Tod und Verklarung (Death and Transfiguration) from 2005; Lorin Maazel, conductor (from NYP broadcast archives, 06-03)
Thanks to the New York Philharmonic for generous use of archival material.
Comments [6]
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Wonderful interview! Quite inspiring.
Being the huge fan of classical music and the opera that I am, I very much enjoyed this interview with Carmen and Zarin Mehta. Thank you for sharing it on HERE'S THE THING! I really liked listening. Love classical music. Love opera. I can't get enough of either! I always look forward to some great classical music and a great opera! And I'm a huge fan of yours Alec! Thanks again for the interview!!
gee marc,have you seen zarin mehta[there is a picture on this page,you know]. and, what constitutes "whiteness", anyway? please give us the text book definition,if you will. we really need to know.
gee, another white man interviewed by a white man on wnyc. how novel
It was disappointing that you didn't ask Mr. Metha about one of the most important issues in classical music today. Namely, the fact that so many major orchestras and opera companies are going bankrupt, reducing seasons, or shutting down entirely. Mr. Metha is uniquely qualified to shed light on this important issue. This was a major missed opportunity.
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