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For Western Classical music lovers, Mumbai is the best city in the country to catch some of the very best live performances. The Symphony Orchestra of India (or SOI for short) is India's first and only professional orchestra. Founded in 2006, the orchestra typically has two seasons a year, Spring (February) and Autumn (August) with a series of phenomenal concerts, recitals and talks held at the National Centre for Performing Arts (NCPA) in Nariman Point.
For those in with the Western Classical music lore, previous SOI seasons have boasted performances from legendary artists and conductors like Zubin Mehta, Zakir Hussain, Maria João Pires and many more. This spring season, though, will celebrate two decades of SOI’s inception with an incredible lineup of performances throughout the month of February. Here’s a list of the concerts you simply cannot miss.
Martyn Brabbins conducts Mussorgsky, Beethoven and Holst
We open the spring season with a presentation of Mussorgsky’s Prelude to Kovanshchina, Beethoven’s Symphony No. 1, and Holst’s The Planets by British maestro and resident SOI conductor Martyn Brabbins.
Date: Saturday, 7 February, 7pm
Martyn Brabbins conducts Mendelssohn, Mahler and Shostakovich
It’s a night at the opera with world-renowned mezzo soprano Dame Sarah Connolly’s rendition of Mahler’s Songs of a Wayfarer, which follows the SOI’s performance of Mendelssohn’s Calm Sea And Prosperous Voyage. The evening ends with Shostakovich’s Symphony No. 10.
Date: Thursday 12 February, 7pm
Carlo Rizzi conducts Dvořák and Sibelius
Internationally acclaimed Italian conductor Carlo Rizzi leads the SOI in a performance of Dvořák’s 8th Symphony and Sibelius’ 2nd Symphony.
Date: Tuesday 17 February, 7pm
Carlo Rizzi conducts Rossini, Tosti, Puccini, Cardillo, Wager and Beethoven
This is the big one. If there was one concert to attend out of all, it would be the grand finale of the season. David Giusti joins as tenor for some classic italian opera including Tosti’s L’alba separa dalla luce l’ombra; Non t’amo piu; “Malia” and Ideale; L’ultima canzone as well as Cardillo Core ‘ngrato. There’s orchestral performances of Rossini’s Overture to Semiramide, Puccini’s Intermezzo from Act III of Manon Lescaut and Wagner’s Prelude to Act III of Lohengrin. The concert concludes with Beethoven’s most famous 5th Symphony – you know, the iconic ‘dun dun dun duuuunnnn’.
Date: Saturday 21 February, 7 PM
Tickets are selling out fast, so be sure to book early and catch this incredible season of live orchestral music.
Location: Jamshed Bhabha Theatre, NCPA, WRF9+XWC, Ncpa Building, Opposite New Oberoi Hotel, NCPA Marg, Nariman Point, Mumbai, Maharashtra 400021
Prices: Range from ₹500-5,000. There’s a 20% discount for patrons who buy tickets for 3 or more concerts, and a 50% discount for students (with valid ID, available at box office only).