Speech is civilization itself

I endeavor that all orchestras I conduct sound Central European.

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

I knew at university that medicine was just not for me. I saved many lives by not being a doctor.

Indian hotels are doing well globally because they understand hospitality.

As soon as, say, Saddam Hussein started bombing Israel with Scuds, everyone was like, ‘Poor Israel.’ But when Israel retaliates – and most of the time they then win – people turn against them.

It seems always to have been difficult to have been a New York Philharmonic conductor because of the nature of New York. We are in direct competition with the great orchestras in the world who come to play in our hall or in Carnegie, and we are constantly compared. I think that ‘s a good thing.

I love to conduct opera.

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

New York for a long time was a kind of conductor’s graveyard.

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

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

I miss the standard of the New York Philharmonic’s playing very much. It has certainly been a high point in my life.

Though there is such a rich tradition of culture and arts, I have never been invited to perform at a concert in South India.

The amount of culture going on in a small country like Israel is amazing.

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

There are people who think I am Israeli. That’s rubbish.

I love India.

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

I’m hopeful that Israelis can go to Ramallah whenever they want and see how the people are living.

I am an Indian, so I do yoga.

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.

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

I’ve never said, ‘I live for art.

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

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