Philharmonia to premiere Holst work at Mela

6 August 2012, 15:32 | Updated: 7 September 2012, 17:13

Philharmonia Orchestra is set to appear at the Mela festival, a celebration of South Asian culture in West London, including a London premiere of a Holst work.

Classic FM's Orchestra on Tour, Philharmonia Orchestra, are due to appear at the Mela Festival in London on August 19th, where they will give the London premiere of Indra by Holst. They will be performing alongside singer Jaz Dhami, the Bhavan Centre and the Bollywood Brass Band.

The all-day festival is a celebration of South Asian culture, and takes place in Gunnersbury, West London. The Philharmonia will be performing the London premiere of Holst's Indra (Holst was once a local resident) alongside music by legendary Indian composer and musician Ravi Shankar.

Indra is one of Holst's lesser-known works, and depicts the titular Hindu god of rain and storm in fierce battle with a dragon. At the time of its composition, legend has it that Hubert Parry made fun of the work in rehearsals, which upset Holst.