Ali Rahbari Returns to Tehran Symphony Orchestra After 9 Years

A prominent Iranian conductor returned to the stage in his hometown of Tehran after nine years, having left in protest against the lack of government support for the music sector during Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's presidency. On March 12, Ali Rahbari conducted Beethoven's Ninth Symphony in front of various spectators, including foreign diplomats. He expressed to reporters, "This was one of the best nights of my life because I witnessed the symphony return to the stage once again." Rahbari, who studied and is based in Austria, worked in several European countries before returning to Iran in 2005, shortly before Ahmadinejad took office. He resigned a year later due to financial issues and lack of adequate support from officials after conducting several concerts, including Beethoven's Ninth Symphony. During his absence, various individuals led the orchestra, but financial problems persisted, leading to low wages for musicians. Rahbari was reappointed as the conductor of the Tehran Symphony Orchestra on March 3. He expressed his support for President Hassan Rouhani's desire to "revive orchestras" in the country. Media quoted Rahbari stating, "Monday night's performance was the realization of the President's dream, which has many opponents." According to ISNA, Rahbari praised the orchestra's musicians, saying, "I have worked in many different orchestras. The kids of Iran did very well, and I can say their performance was miraculous." Regarding his plans for the Tehran Symphony Orchestra, Rahbari mentioned, "We have thought about a six-month program. Many musicians who had never played Beethoven were present at last night's concert; thankfully, the result was good. This was actually a trial, and I did not know most of them. The string section performed excellently, though I will make changes to the orchestra. I should also mention that I have canceled my contracts for the next five months." He also noted that officials have allowed him to bring in some good wind soloists if necessary to maintain the orchestra's reputation. Rahbari emphasized that the Tehran Symphony Orchestra's performances would not be limited to Tehran and would also take place in other cities.