Indian orchestras can grow by blending cultures

The final concert of the Spring 2025 season of the Symphony Orchestra of India will be conducted by Sir Mark Elder, one of Britain's acclaimed conductors and Conductor Emeritus of The Hallé Orchestra, on Saturday.

- Yogesh Pawar

MUMBAI: Elder spoke to Yogesh Pawar about his early days in music, how he chooses operas and an evolved Indian audience that knows how to experience immersive art.

This is your first visit to India and Mumbai... any first impressions?

I think it is fabulous – large and chaotic but fascinating nevertheless. My wife has gone to see the Elephanta Caves and I do hope to catch the flamingos, but we don't know how or when.

What would you say are some of the most defining moments that shaped you as a conductor?

I was barely 24 when asked to conduct at the Sydney Opera House on its second night. Living in Australia at the time, I knew it was a landmark moment.

From the outside, the Opera House was spectacular, but inside, the acoustics were tricky. It was a challenge, especially in 1973-74, but it shaped me as a conductor. Leading Giuseppe Verdi's operas, 'War and Peace,' and 'Meistersinger' at that age taught me not just how to conduct, but how to navigate difficult circumstances. Later, I sailed from Sydney to Naples on an Italian ship via the Panama Canal, which offered me another lesson in patience and perspective.

Back in London, I was handed one of the toughest assignments for a young conductor: Strauss's 'Ein Heldenleben'. A massive, intricate work, it pushes the entire orchestra to its limits, especially the solo violin, which plays like a full concerto. It was daunting, but cemented my confidence on the podium.

Despite your extensive travels, you clearly cherish the enduring bond you have built with the Hallé.