On July 2, legendary director Peter Brook died.

Born on March 21, 1925 in the Bedford Park area of Chiswick, Brook was educated at Westminster School, Gresham’s School, and Magdalen College, Oxford.

Brook became one of the great theater and film directors of his generation particularly known for his Shakespeare adaptations, among other great works. However, he was also an opera director and from 1947 to 1950, he was Director of Productions at the Royal Opera House in London.

His work included an effective re-staging of Puccini’s “La bohème” and a controversial staging of Strauss’ “Salome” with sets by Salvador Dalí. He also went on to make the famous “La Tragédie de Carmen” in Lincoln Center.

Brook was based in France from the early 1970s and went on to win the Tony, multiple Emmy Awards, a Laurence Olivier Award, the Japanese Praemium Imperiale, and the Prix Italia.

He was 97.

The Teatro alla Scala took to Facebook and said, “Teatro alla Scala, as the entire world of culture, mourns the loss of Peter Brook, who during his long career marked new paths in drama, opera and cinema. The Theatre direction, the artists and all the workers of La Scala and of La Scala Academy are close to his daughter Irina, who is currently rehearsing ‘Il Matrimonio Segreto’ on our stage.”