After 50 years, Zubin Mehta takes final bow with Israel Philharmonic

Zubin Mehta is an Indian conductor of Western and Eastern classical music. (Express archive photo)

The star conductor took the stage in Tel Aviv on Sunday for an emotional final performance as the music director of the Israel Philharmonic, retiring after 50 years with the orchestra. (Express archive photo)

The 83-year-old, who underwent treatment for a cancerous tumor last year and walked with a cane, earned a long standing ovation from the packed house as he said “goodbye to my family,” as he put it in an interview beforehand. (Express archive photo)

“From my heart, what this orchestra has given me…not only this one but all the generations before them. I cannot begin to even describe what I have learned with these musicians,” he told the audience during the intermission. (Express archive photo)

Mehta was born in Mumbai and now is a permanent resident of the United States. The acclaimed conductor, who retains his Indian citizenship, said in an interview given earlier that he feels he never left the city. (Express archive photo)