Video: 'George Harrison Introduces Ravi Shankar At The Royal Albert Hall, London - 23 September 1974'

(Monday, September 23, 1974) — Former Beatle George Harrison introduced Ravi Shankar on stage tonight at London’s Royal Albert Hall for the Music Festival’s debut performance, ] before accompanying them on a short tour of Europe.

Harrison, who produced a concert film of tonight’s performance, gave a brief, warm introduction to Shankar, after which the Music Festival from India performance begins.

The tour also takes in Paris, Brussels, Frankfurt, Munich and Copenhagen.

Video: 'George Harrison and Ravi Shankar At Friar Park - September 1974'

Early this year, Harrison had attended a ceremony for the opening of Shankar’s new home in Benares, where they forged a plan for Harrison to sponsor an Indian classical-music concert tour of Europe, known as Ravi Shankar’s Music Festival from India, and for Harrison and Shankar to then tour North America together at the end of the year.

Featuring up to eighteen musicians on a wide range of traditional Indian instruments, the Music Festival from India was the realization of a long-held dream for Harrison.

Earlier this month, George and Ravi were filmed in conversation during rehearsals at George`s “Friar Park” home which was used as an introduction to the film.