Maestro Zubin Mehta will bring the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra to Australia as part of his global farewell tour in 2019, the Sydney Opera House announced today. The tour is the culmination of Mehta’s 50-year tenure with the orchestra – for which he was appointed Music Director for Life – which comes to an end in October 2019 when he passes the baton to Lahav Shani. Mehta and the IPO will perform two programs in Sydney, the first featuring Israeli composer Ödön Pártos’ Concertino for Strings alongside Haydn’s Sinfonia Concertante and Tchaikovsky’s Fifth Symphony, while the second will feature Schubert’s Rosamunde Overture along with Ravel’s Daphnis et Chloé Suite No 2 and Schubert’s Ninth Symphony.

Zubin Mehta. Photo © Shai Skiff

“Ten years have passed since the IPO’s last Australian tour, including performances at Sydney Opera House in 2008,” Mehta said. “In recent years, the orchestra has been fortunate to embark on worldwide tours every season, but the trip to Australia is a dream come true for me and for my colleagues. My fellow musicians and I are excited to meet the warm and generous Australian audience, and I hope and believe that the experience will remain...