Georges Prêtre (born 14 August 1924) is a French conductor. He was born in Waziers (Nord), and attended the Douai Conservatory and then studied harmony under Maurice Duruflé and conducting under André Cluytens among others at the Paris Conservatoire. 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. ...show more

Georges Prêtre (born 14 August 1924) is a French conductor. He was born in Waziers (Nord), and attended the Douai Conservatory and then studied harmony under Maurice Duruflé and conducting under André Cluytens among others at the Paris Conservatoire. 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 conducted also at the opera houses in Lille and Toulouse. His Paris debut was at the Opéra-Comique in Richard Strauss' 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. His Royal Opera House, Covent Garden debut came in 1961, with first appearances at the Metropolitan Opera, New York City, and La Scala, Milan, later in the 1960s. ...show less