Quotes from Zubin Mehta

My life is so full of sacrifices.

Citizens of India, Pakistan, and Kashmir need to come together and make music.

Just imagine, the thousands and thousands of concerts that take place every single day, all over the world. And the positive effect that they would have on the people listening. Now imagine a world without this. This void... it is unthinkable.

As long as they keep building settlements, the world will be anti-Israeli.

Music is the message of peace, and music only brings peace.

You might say that Richard Wagner was the Queen Victoria of Europe. He had musical children everywhere!

Wagner's philosophy had absolutely nothing to do with Bruckner. Bruckner hadn't written a single word against Jews. Wagner's book on the Jews was one of the most infamous books of the 19th century.

After conducting Wagner, Beethoven's triple concerto is like taking an Alka Seltzer.

Why does Israel always have to suffer for others to feel bad for it?

Rock music is predictable, unless theres great talent involved.

I respect the Indian government for the fact that there are no settlements in Kashmir.

I sometimes feel it is to my disadvantage that I have not conducted the Cleveland Orchestra or the Boston or Chicago symphonies, but then I have had to sacrifice something in order to have enough time with my orchestras.

I am often critical of Israel's policies when in the country, but then feel defensive of them when overseas.

I love the creativity of New York, but I don't enjoy the city - I don't like living here.

Critics do their job, and I take their criticism seriously.

There are certainly talented instrumentalists coming from India. I see them performing all over the world.

I love rap because it talks about pain that comes authentically from the ghetto. It moves me.

I wish that only three residents of Tel Aviv could see what conditions on the West Bank are like. Living in such proximity, most Israelis have no idea about the adversity on the West Bank.

Israel gives the West Bank water twice a week! One way of promoting good would be not to ration water.

In Bombay, we have a fine concert hall. I think it is high time we built venues in Delhi and Calcutta, not only for western music, but also Indian music. It doesn't matter which party is in power; don't you think the capital of India should have a concert hall?

New York is really the place to be; to go to New York, you're going to the center of the world, the lion's den.

I always look at the work of fashion designers as if they were art.

My tastes are Viennese.

In Chicago, they die for their teams.