Zubin Mehta, Yo Yo Ma to perform at London Proms
Indian-born conductor Zubin Mehta, who is music director of Israel Philharmonic Orchestra, is one of the major attractions for the annual Proms in London this year that celebrate the bicentenary of Hungarian composer Franz Liszt. American cellist Yo Yo Ma will be another draw at the summer concerts of classical music.
Britain’s traditional century-old concert season of Proms, which in 2009 showcased a singing and dancing Bollywood extravaganza for the first time, will venture the Hollywood way this year with film music concerts.
The BBC Concert Orchestra will perform theme songs and music from Hollywood films like Star Wars, Schindler’s List, Harry Potter, and Psycho. The orchestra will also pay a tribute to Bond films composer John Barry. The Spaghetti Western Orchestra will present their take on Western soundtracks and the music of Ennio Morricone.
The focus of the World Routes Academy prom is on India this year and London-born young veena virtuoso Hari Sivanesan, who is of Sri Lankan origin, will present a concert of Carnatic music with vocalist Aruna Sairam. Sivanesan, who has performed with Pandit Ravi Shankar as a teenager, believes that “it’s time for Carnatic music — India’s music of the South — to shine in the West, and I’m looking forward to diving into the roots of our music further!”
Score by composer Nitin Sawhney, who is of Indian origin, for the BBC series Human Planet will be played for two proms.
The Proms will start on July 15 and close with a Hyde Park concert, the annual Last Night Of The Proms extravaganza, on September 10. This year, 74 Proms will held be at the Royal Albert Hall and eight chamber concerts at Cadogan Hall. In 2009, the total number of concerts had reached 100 for the first time.
Founded in 1895, Proms or promenade concerts are held over eight weeks in summer daily. The music includes concerts in Royal Albert Hall, chamber concerts in Cadogan Hall and open-air concerts London’s Hyde Park and at four other venues across Britain. Since the bombing of the Queen’s Hall in Langham Place in 1941, Proms have been held at the Royal Albert Hall.
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