Background

Zubin Mehta was born in 1936 in Bombay and received his first musical education under his father’s Mehli Mehta’s guidance who was a noted concert violinist and the founder of the Bombay Symphony Orchestra. Mehta initially intended to study medicine, but eventually became a music student in Vienna at the age of 18, under Hans Swarowsky. Zubin Mehta made his debut as an opera conductor with Tosca in Montreal in 1963. Mehta's first marriage was to canadian soprano Carmen Lasky in 1958. They have a son, Mervon and a daughter, Zarina. In 1964, they divorced. In July 1969, Mehta married Nancy Kovack, a former American film and television actress. Mehta, a permanent resident of the United States, retains his Indian citizenship.

Education

While in school that is located in Mumbai, India, Mehta was taught to play the piano by Joseph de Lima, who was his first piano teacher.

Mehta initially intended to study medicine, but eventually became a music student in Vienna.

Career

In 1977, he took the post of Music Director at the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra and subsequently became a Music Director for Life at the orchestra in 1981. In 1991 he left New York Philarmonic, becoming the longest holder of the Music Director post. Since 1985, Mehta has been chief conductor of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino in Florence. Additionally, from 1998 until 2006, Mehta was Music Director of the Bavarian State Opera in Munich. Since 2005, Mehta has been the main conductor of the Palau de les Arts. Mehta conducted the Vienna New Year's Concert in the years 1990, 1995, 1998 and 2007.Zubin Mehta has conducted nearly two thousand concert performances with this extraordinary ensemble on tours spanning five continents

Achievements

• Zubin Mehta has conducted nearly two thousand concert performances with this extraordinary ensemble on tours spanning five continents. From 1978 to 1991, Mehta was the Music Director of the New York Philharmonic. During his time there, Mehta conducted over a thousand concerts and held his post longer than anyone in the orchestra’s history.
  
  Zubin Mehta possesses particularly all the awards any musician can aspire to In 2011 he received the 2434th star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and was bestowed the Echo Klassik in Berlin for his outstanding lifetime achievements.

Membership

• the association Amics de l’Òpera i de les Arts de la Comunitat Valenciana

Connections

Married 1st Carmen Lasky in 1958 (divorced). Married 2nd Nancy Diane Kovack in 1969.

Father:

Mehli

Mehta was born in Bombay in September 1908. As a young violinist his main musical influence and inspiration was Jascha Heifetz. A pioneering figure in the Indian musical world, he founded the Bombay Symphony Orchestra in 1935, and was its Concertmaster (1935-1945) and conductor (1945-1955). He was married to Tehmina.

Mother:

Tehmina

ex-wife:

Carmen Lasky

Mehta has been married twice. That was his first marriage, and the pair had two children before their divorce in 1964.

Wife:

Nancy Kovack

She was born in Flint, Michigan and known for many film and television roles, mostly in the 1960's and 1970's. Her last film role was in Marooned (1969), a science fiction drama. In 1969, Kovack married conductor Zubin Mehta, then music director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, and later music director of the New York Philharmonic. Thereafter she dedicated herself to her marriage, giving up her stage and screen career. Kovack and Mehta maintain residences in Brentwood, California and Tuscany, Italy. Nancy and Zubin Mehta do not have any biological children together.

Friend:

Ratan Naval Tata

Ratan Tata is an Indian businessman who became chairman of the Tata Group from 1991 to 2012, a Mumbai-based conglomerate. He expanded the Tatas into a world company.