Gerard Mortier is dead

Dutch and Belgian media report the death early today of Gerard Mortier, one of the most flamboyant, contentious and original opera personalities of modern times. Gerard was 70. He had been stricken with pancreatic cancer this past year.

The shock is great. We mourn his passing.

For a first appreciation of a ‘brilliant, infuriating’ man, click here.

A protégé remembers Gerard here.

Here’s Gerard himself, talking about his last creation, Brokeback Mountain:

And here’s a summary of his last interview.

A statement from Salzburg festival president Helga Rabl-Stadler:  “Gerard Mortier was a steadfast follower of the philosophy of Giuseppe di Lampedusa, who wrote in his novel Il Gattopardo: ‘If we want things to stay as they are, things will have to change’.”