Georges Prêtre

Georges Prêtre was a French orchestral and opera conductor. Prêtre attended the Douai Conservatory and then studied harmony under Maurice Duruflé and conducting under André Cluytens among others at the Conservatoire de Paris. Amongst his early musical interests were jazz and trumpet.

After graduating, he conducted in a number of small French opera houses sometimes under the pseudonym Georges Dherain. His conducting debut was at the Opéra de Marseille in 1946. He also conducted at the opera houses in Lille and Toulouse.

His Paris debut was at the Opéra-Comique in Richard Strauss's Capriccio. He was director of the Opéra-Comique 1955–1959. He conducted at the Lyric Opera of Chicago 1959–1971.

He was conductor, 1959, and music director 1970–1971, at the Paris Opéra. He was principal conductor of the Vienna Symphony 1986–1991

Georges Prêtre is known for work in sound across film and television. New Release currently presents 11 verified screen credits connected to this profile.

Selected work includes Pagliacci (1987), Cavalleria rusticana (1982), Fan School (1977), Samedi soir (1971), Puccini - Turandot (1969) Birgit Nilsson (1969), Maria Callas: At Covent Garden, 1962 and 1964 (1962), Maria Callas in Concert - Hamburg 1959 and 1962 (1962), Les Contes d'Hoffmann (1981). The recorded credits span 1962 to 2010, including 9 movies and 2 TV shows.

The filmography below lists available titles, release years and known roles. This profile is updated as additional verified information becomes available.