Georges Pretre

Georges Prêtre (Waziers, 14 August 1924 – Navès, 4 January 2017) was a French conductor.
After his studies at the Conservatoire de Paris, he made his debut as a 22-year-old in 1946 at the Opéra de Marseille.
Prêtre was music director of the Opéra de Paris and since 1956 also of the Opéra-Comique de Paris. In 1959 he conducted the premiere of Francis Poulenc's opera La Voix humaine. With Maria Callas he undertook various concert tours from 1962 onwards. From 1986 to 1991 he was "Erster Gastdirigent" of the Wiener Symphoniker and regularly conducted the largest orchestras in Europe and America, such as the Berliner Philharmoniker (the Waldbühnen-Konzert in 1992) and the Wiener Philharmoniker. In 1966 he conducted the reopening of the New York Metropolitan Opera.
Prêtre is regarded as a specialist in music from his homeland, particularly in works by Francis Poulenc.
On 1 January 2008 he conducted the New Year's Concert of the Wiener Philharmoniker and at 83 years old was the oldest conductor to have conducted the New Year's Concert up to that point. On 1 January 2010 he conducted the New Year's Concert again.
Prêtre was a Commandeur in the Legion of Honor.