Renowned director Otto Schenk has passed away. He was 94.

Born in Vienna, Schenk studied acting at the Max Reinhardt Seminar and then commenced his career at the Theater in der Josefstadt and Wiener Volkstheater.

He shifted into directing in 1953, his first projects taking place at the Burgtheater, Munich Kammerspiele, and Salzburg Festival. In 1957, he directed “The Magic Flute” at the Salzburg Landestheater, representing the first time he directed an opera.

From there he would direct major productions at the Theater an der Wien in 1962 and Vienna State Opera in 1964. The Vienna State Opera would hire him as a permanent producer and would lead productions of “Rusalka,” “Die Zauberflöte,” “Fidelio,” and “Der Rosenkavalier,” among many others.

Schenk would direct opera productions throughout the world including at the Berlin State Opera, Royal Opera House, Bayerische Staatsoper, and Hamburg Staatsoper.

At the Met Opera he debuted with “Tosca” but would be most remembered for his take on Wagner’s “Der Ring des Nibelungen.” His final production at the Met was Donizetti’s “Don Pasquale.” Other notable Met Opera productions include “Elektra,” “Arabella,” “Rigoletto,” “Der Meistersinger von Nürnberg,” “Tannhäuser,” and “Parsifal;” his “Meistersinger,” “Don Pasquale,” “Arabella,” and “Tannhäuser” productions remain in U.S. at the Met.

In addition to his work as a director, Schenk appeared in over 30 films and directed “Mery-Go-Round,” and “Dunja,” among others.