The Vienna Philharmonic Mourns Honorary Member Georges Prêtre

Chairman Andreas Großbauer: "With his charm and amiability, Georges Prêtre enchanted us and the audiences in a unique manner. He challenged us in every one of our concerts. Ours was a very enriching artistic collaboration which continually demanded of us intense concentration and willingness to take risks. The wonderfully sophisticated New Year's Concerts of 2008 and 2010, as well as the Summer Night Concert 2008, remain unforgettable highlights. The legendary "I love you" which he repeatedly communicated to the Vienna Philharmonic in a variety of nuances, was in effect an invitation which inspired us to new artistic heights. Our thoughts are with his widow and his grandchildren. We loved him."

Georges Prêtre's collaboration with the Vienna Philharmonic extended over five decades. He celebrated his debut on the podium of the Vienna Philharmonic with the waltz from Charles Gounod's opera "Faust" at the 23rd Vienna Philharmonic Ball on January 17, 1963. Nearly 50 years later to the day, on January 13, 2013, he conducted his last Philharmonic concert with compositions by Beethoven, Stravinsky and Ravel. There was a hiatus between 1963 and 1989 before a series of performances of "Tosca" at the 1989 Salzburg Festival laid the cornerstone for a continuous artistic partnership which encompassed about 70 concerts.