Role

:

Conductor Performer

Country

:

France

Birth

:

August 14, 1924 in Waziers, France

Death

:

January 4, 2017 in Navès, France

Genre

:

Opera

 

Georges Prêtre was a renowned French conductor who was born on August 14, 1924, in Waziers, a small town in northern France. He was the youngest of six children in a family of musicians. His father was a violinist and his mother was a singer, and they both encouraged their children to pursue music. Prêtre began his musical education at a young age, studying piano and violin. He later attended the Conservatoire de Paris, where he studied conducting with André Cluytens and composition with Arthur Honegger. He graduated in 1946 with first prizes in both conducting and composition. Prêtre began his career as a conductor in 1948, when he was appointed as the conductor of the Orchestre de la Société des Concerts du Conservatoire. He quickly gained a reputation as a talented and dynamic conductor, and he was soon in demand as a guest conductor with orchestras throughout Europe. In 1956, Prêtre made his debut at the Vienna State Opera, conducting a production of Verdi's "La Traviata." This was the beginning of a long and successful relationship with the Vienna State Opera, where he conducted many productions over the years. Prêtre also had a close relationship with the Paris Opera, where he conducted many productions, including the premiere of Francis Poulenc's "Dialogues des Carmélites" in 1957. He also conducted the premiere of Olivier Messiaen's "Saint François d'Assise" at the Paris Opera in 1983. Prêtre was known for his interpretations of the music of French composers, particularly Maurice Ravel and Claude Debussy. He also had a deep love for the music of Richard Strauss, and he conducted many of his operas and tone poems throughout his career. One of Prêtre's most famous performances was his 1989 New Year's Concert with the Vienna Philharmonic. This concert, which was broadcast live around the world, featured a program of Viennese waltzes and polkas, as well as music by Johann Strauss II and his contemporaries. Prêtre's lively and energetic conducting style was a hit with audiences, and the concert remains one of the most popular New Year's Concerts in the history of the Vienna Philharmonic. Prêtre was also a prolific recording artist, and he made many recordings with the Vienna Philharmonic, the Paris Opera Orchestra, and other orchestras throughout his career. Some of his most famous recordings include his interpretations of Ravel's "Boléro" and Debussy's "La Mer." Throughout his career, Prêtre received many awards and honors for his contributions to classical music. In 2008, he was awarded the Legion of Honor, the highest civilian award in France. He was also awarded the Austrian Cross of Honor for Science and Art in 2010. Prêtre continued to conduct well into his 90s, and he remained an active and beloved figure in the world of classical music until his death on January 4, 2017, at the age of 92. His legacy as a conductor and interpreter of French and Viennese music lives on through his recordings and the many musicians he inspired throughout his long and illustrious career.

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