Johann Ernst Altenburg

A conductor of genuine international repute, Georges Prêtre was born in Douai and studied at the Paris Conservatory. He made his debut in 1946 at the age of 22 at the Marseilles Opera and in 1956 joined the Opéra Comique, conducting all the major repertory works. Seasons at the Metropolitan Opera in New York and with La Scala Milan followed alongside his work with the great American orchestras.

In 1966 he was appointed Music Director of the Paris Opera and continued to conduct all the worlds great orchestras, including the Berlin and Vienna Philharmonic Orchestras. He has made countless recordings of both opera and concert works with French, American and British orchestras, and has won numerous awards. He continues to conduct all over Europe, the USA and Japan.