The French conductor (and close associate of Maria Callas), who thought of himself as Viennese, has passed away at 92.

The distinguished French conductor Georges Prêtre has died at the age of 92 at his Château de Vaudricourt in Naves in Southern France. “A giant of music has been lost today,” said Stephane Lissner, director of the Paris Opéra.

The mildly flamboyant, invariably well-dressed maestro made his name with significant first performances of music by the likes of Poulenc and Jongen, but went on to become a household name following his close association with the later career of Maria Callas and his regular appearances at La Scala.

In later years he formed such an intimate relationship with the Vienna Philharmonic that he was once quoted as saying: “I am a Frenchman but my heart belongs to Vienna”. The orchestra has posted on its Facebook page that it is mourning “our charming and dear honorary member Georges Prêtre with whom we have performed for 50 years”.

Prêtre was born on August 14, 1924 in Waziers, near Lille in northern France. He studied first at the Douai Conservatory where early musical interests included jazz and trumpet before being accepted by the Conservatoire de...