Mehta was Music Director of the Montreal Symphony Orchestra from 1961 to 1967, and Music Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra from 1962 to 1978, being the youngest music director ever for any major North American orchestra. In 1969, he was appointed Music Adviser to the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and in 1981 Mehta became its permanent Music Director for Life.
In 2016, Mehta has been appointed as Honorary Conductor of the Teatro San Carlo, Naples.
In December 2016, the Israel Philharmonic announced that Mehta is to retire from his permanent position as music director in October 2019.[2]