MUMBAI: 97-year-old Peter Brook, the British-born director who won Tonys and Emmys, and was conferred the Padma Shri last year, and is best known for his theatre work ranging from Broadway's "Marat/Sade" and "Irma La Douce" to experimental productions such as "The Mahabarata" died in Paris.
The auteur is best known in India for his production of the French play "Le Mahabharata" ("The Mahabharata"), which was based on the Sanskrit epic, by Jean-Claude Carriere. The masterpiece was first staged in 1985 by Brook, who later translated it into English in 1987, in a quarry just outside Avignon in France.
The play was nine hours long in performance (11 with intervals) and it toured the world for four years. For two years the show was performed both in French and in English.
One of Brook's final works, at 92 years old, was "The Prisoner", which he wrote and staged in Paris as well as at the Edinburgh festival and London's National Theatre. Just this year, he staged and directed "The Tempest Project" with Marie-Helane Estienne, his long-time collaborator.
Brook was born in London and educated at Westminster and Magdalen College, Oxford. His first job as director was for a 1943 production of "Dr. Faustus" in London. From 1947 to 1950, he was director of productions at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Among his productions was Richard Strauss' "Salome", featuring sets by Salvador Dali.
Credit: India TV
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