A Musical Journey narrates the story of nearly six decades of the rich and uniquely varied career of the maestro. Mehta’s life has been a series of firsts: he is the only musician ever to simultaneously direct two major orchestras in North America (Montreal and Los Angeles) and was featured on the cover on Time magazine when just thirty-one. As a virtuoso conductor, he has known and worked with the most distinguished artistes of the last century. His extraordinary journey from Mumbai to some of the most prestigious podiums of the music world is a saga of genius and dedication. While his musical legacy remains deeply rooted in Central Europe, his appeal is linked to Israel, Los Angeles, New York, Florence, Munich and Valencia. Without doubt the most enduring romance of the flamboyant and outspoken Mehta’s career has been with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra of which he has been music director since 1969.
Meticulously researched and engagingly written, this authorized biography offers an insightful window into the life of one of the twentieth century’s greatest conductors, one whose career has been marked by immense virtuosity, unquenchable passion and exceptional longevity.