Have a look at the biography and career journey of Antonia Minnecola, who is the wife of famous artist Zakir Hussain
Renowned tabla maestro Zakir Hussain has allegedly passed away at the age of 73. The four-time Grammy winner had been hospitalized in San Francisco, California, for the past two weeks following complaints of heart-related ailments. Flautist Rakesh Chaurasia had earlier confirmed the critical nature of his condition. Tragically, and reports now confirm his demise.
However, tabla maestro Zakir Hussain’s nephew on Sunday rejected the news reports of his uncle’s death and urged to remove the misinformation.
Hussain, the son of the legendary tabla player Ustad Allah Rakha, has been admitted to the ICU of a San Francisco hospital with heart related problems and his nephew said, “My uncle Zakir Hussain is very much alive, and we would ask the news media not to post misinformation. We ask for prayers, and we ask for everyone’s well-wishes.”
Who is kathak dancer Antonia Minnecola wife of tabla maestro Zakir Hussain, biography, age, family, children, nationality and net worth
Zakir Hussain’s wife, Antonia Minnecola stands as a distinguished exponent of Kathak, the vibrant and intricate classical dance form of North India. Notably, she is a devoted disciple of the late Sitara Devi, who is revered as one of the greatest female Kathak dancers of modern times. A luminary in her field, Antonia Minnecola continues to elevate Kathak as both a timeless tradition and a dynamic medium for artistic innovation.
Who is Antonia Minnecola?
Zakir Hussain married Kathak dancer, Antonia Minnecola or Toni (as everyone calls her) is an Italian-American and she met Zakir in the Bay Area of California in the late ’70s, when she was in an early phase of her dance training. The two dated before eventually getting married in 1979 despite Antonia’s father not being in favour of the marriage as Zakir didn’t have a steady income at the time.
Zakir had also previously revealed that he was the first in his family to get married outside his caste and his mother did not support his decision to tie the knot with Antonia. However, his father secretly helped the duo tie the knot and then informed his mother about their marriage who eventually went onto accept Antonia.
Picture of @ZakirHtabla @ZoeElton, Mira Nair & Antonia & Minnecola at Mill Valley Film Fedtival #MVFF35 @LarsenAssc pic.twitter.com/X0OVcngeNr
— Kamla (@kamla) September 21, 2014
Beginning in the early-mid ’80s, she trained with Sitara Devi and they continued working together for three decades. Sitara also knew Zakir’s family well, and Antonia was one of her favorite students.
Antonia was also Zakir’s manager and they had two daughters, Anisa Qureshi and Isabella Qureshi. While her DOB isn’t known, she is aged between 65-75 years while Zakir was aged 73.
Zakir’s daughter Anisa graduated from UCLA and is a filmmaker now and she is known for 3:10 to Yuma (2007), Mr. Woodcock (2007) and Just Like Heaven (2005). Isabella is meanwhile studying dance in Manhattan. While Antonia’s net worth isn’t known, her husband Zakir had a net worth of Rs.5-6 crore.
Antonia’s journey in Kathak began under the auspices of two fellowships from the American Institute of Indian Studies, enabling her to train intensively with Sitara Devi for nearly three decades. Over the years, Antonia has graced prestigious tours and festivals across the globe, including Jacob’s Pillow, the Other Minds Festival, the San Francisco Jazz Festival, Stanford Lively Arts, Cal Performances, the Montreal Jazz Festival, the Auckland Festival, the World Drum Festival, the Asian Pacific Performing Arts Festival, the Percussion Currents Festival in Bahia, the Mystic Music Festival in Konya, and the Sacred Music Festival in Fez.
Twice honored with the Marin Arts Council Individual Artist Grant for Choreography, Antonia skillfully integrates Kathak into contemporary narratives, collaborating with artists from diverse genres. As a solo Kathak performer, she is often accompanied by her husband, the world-renowned tabla maestro Zakir Hussain. Also, she has also been featured in his biennial touring production Masters of Percussion.
Beyond performance, Antonia has contributed significantly to arts education, assisting Zakir Hussain during his guest professorships at Princeton University and Stanford University, as well as his residencies with Meet the Composer and Carnegie Hall’s Weill Music Institute. She has conducted numerous workshops and classes, including at UC Berkeley, Swarthmore University, and in the BFA Dance Program at Dominican University in collaboration with Lines Ballet.
The world has lost a true musical genius.
Zakir Hussain's contributions to the world of music will forever be cherished. #ZakirHussain pic.twitter.com/cCicgRPpoW
— Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (@MIB_India) December 15, 2024