One of the most influential opera directors of our time, Patrice Chéreau died on Monday of lung cancer in Paris. He was 68.
A man of many talents, Chéreau was active in theater and opera, as director, actor, and stage manager, reaching the apex of his career — and creating a landmark production — when he directed the Pierre Boulez-conducted Wager centennial Ring in Bayreuth in 1976, just seven years after he staged his first opera.
To appreciate his accomplishment, watch John Ardoin's chronicle of the making of the Chéreau-Boulez Ring.
In 2010, Chéreau assumed a guest curator role with the Louvre, incorporating dance, opera, theater, film, and painting into his show, Faces and Bodies.