Pierre Audi, who passed away unexpectedly at the age of 67, leaves behind a remarkable legacy developed over 45 years, primarily focused on innovative contributions to the operatic stage. His career took him through key locations including London, the Netherlands, and France.

As the founder of the Almeida Theatre in Islington, London, and serving as the artistic director of the Dutch National Opera (formerly known as Netherlands Opera) as well as the Aix-en-Provence Festival, Audi had a profound passion for exploring uncharted artistic territories. He firmly believed that art forms, especially opera, require continual renewal and transformation.

After acquiring a run-down 19th-century building previously owned by the Salvation Army and later a toy factory on Almeida Street, Audi led a public initiative to reopen it as a theater. He managed the venue as both a production company and a receiving house from its inception in 1980 until Ian McDiarmid and Jonathan Kent took over the directorship in 1990.

Under his leadership, the Almeida quickly became a hub for avant-garde arts. The Almeida International Festival of Contemporary Music and Performance showcased works by composers such as Steve Reich, Philip Glass, Elliott Carter, and Morton Feldman, featuring performances from renowned artists like Astor Piazzolla and the London Sinfonietta.

The theater also hosted innovative spoken productions from touring groups including Complicité and Cheek by Jowl, with Peter Brook’s Bouffes du Nord company inspiring Audi’s vision during their 1982 appearance. Audi prioritized international collaborations, commissioning and presenting several new operas, including John Casken’s Golem, which he directed and premiered in 1989, successfully establishing a vibrant market for contemporary music and theater.

Audi, then just 30 years old, was recruited by the Netherlands Opera in 1988 despite having never been to the country or directed opera on a grand stage. He gained the trust of the board, who recognized his artistic vision, cosmopolitan approach, and capability to manage a diverse program on a limited budget, overcoming concerns from those within the Dutch cultural scene.

At the Netherlands Opera, he continued to champion contemporary compositions, bringing works by Alfred Schnittke and various Dutch composers such as Louis Andriessen and Michel van der Aa to the stage. His programming embraced a wide range, from Gluck, Mozart, and Wagner (he was responsible for the first Ring production in the Netherlands) to Schoenberg and Messiaen. Audi attracted prominent directors like Harry Kupfer and Peter Sellars to Amsterdam during his tenure.

In September 2018, Audi took the helm of the Aix-en-Provence Festival, promoting a cross-disciplinary “dialogue between the arts” that blended music, visual art, and video alongside musical theater. Despite challenges from the Covid pandemic in 2020, the festival successfully premiered Kaija Saariaho’s opera Innocence, which explores the aftermath of a school shooting.

His tenure continued with significant productions in 2023, including George Benjamin’s Picture a Day Like This and Philip Venables/Ted Huffman’s The Faggots and Their Friends Between Revolutions, highlighting his commitment to contemporary artistry.

With a vision to expand the festival’s geographic reach, Audi collaborated with director Romeo Castellucci for a powerful staging of Mahler’s Resurrection Symphony, juxtaposing it against the backdrop of a former mass grave. He also initiated a June festival featuring free events as “a gift to the city,” drawing large crowds to celebrate in Aix.

Audi was born in Beirut to banker Raymond Audi and Andrée Michel Fattal, later moving to Paris for his education. He graduated in Oriental studies from Exeter College, Oxford, and founded the Almeida Theatre at the age of 22. His early career as a bold, imaginative producer paved the way for his deepening connection to opera in Amsterdam.

During his three-decade-long career at the Netherlands Opera, he worked collaboratively with administrative director Truze Lodder, who had instilled financial rigor in the company. When Audi took the reins, the organization faced a substantial deficit and significant credibility issues, having been criticized as a “shambles.” Together, they elevated the company’s profile, garnering public support for Audi’s adventurous and innovative approach.

There, he also honed his skills as an opera director, achieving prominence in both Amsterdam and on international stages, often adopting a minimalist and abstract visual style. His 1999 production of the Ring, in collaboration with designer George Tsypin, eschewed traditional sets in favor of striking symbols, such as chains in Das Rheingold, foreshadowing themes of exploitation.

The expansive stage at the Muziektheater was reimagined to envelop the orchestra, creating an immersive audience experience reminiscent of Greek drama. Some seats were positioned very close to the action, while others were designed as “adventure seats,” suspended above the stage.

Audi’s aesthetic often explored extreme contrasts, evident in the provocative costumes for the Flower Maidens in the Munich Parsifal (2018) designed by Georg Baselitz. Yet, he was equally adept at creating breathtaking moments, as demonstrated in his 1997 production of Monteverdi’s Orfeo, where flames erupted as Orfeo crossed the Styx, vividly illustrating the dark themes of the underworld.

In parallel with his role at the Netherlands Opera, Audi served as the artistic director of the Holland Festival from 2004 to 2014, where he presented multidisciplinary works alongside artists like William Kentridge and Ryoji Ikeda, and directors including Sam Mendes and Ivo Van Hove. He directed the world premiere of Julian Anderson’s Thebans at the English National Opera in 2014.

In 2015, he launched the Opera Forward Festival, emphasizing interdisciplinary collaboration, and took on the artistic direction of the Park Avenue Armory in New York, where he facilitated projects across various art forms.

He is survived by his wife, Marieke Peters, their children Alexander and Sophia, and his siblings, Paul and Sherine.

Pierre Audi, opera director and impresario, was born on November 9, 1957, and died on May 3, 2025.