Pierre Audi

We are deeply saddened to hear that our friend Pierre Audi left us yesterday, way too early.

Pierre is woven into the fabric of Complicité’s journey. From the company’s early work presented at the Almeida, which included an invitation in 1988 to perform a 14-show, 11-week ‘retrospective’ of the first 5 years of our work, through a long friendship which has spanned opera and theatre ever since.

Pierre, as well as a director, was a visionary producer. Having founded the Almeida theatre in the early 1980’s and then for 30 years leading the Dutch National Opera in Amsterdam, as well as directing the Aix Festival and the Armory in New York, he spent his life championing new artists and offering opportunities to those whose voices might otherwise never have been heard.

His ability to see, discover, promote and encourage new talent as well his commitment to internationalism, to experimental work and to artistic excellence were inspirational and influenced a generation of artistry in theatre, opera and music.

We have lost a true force.

Our thoughts, compassion and solidarity are with his wife, the artist Marieke Peters, his two children and his family and friends.

Simon McBurney

Image: Pierre Audi in Paris, 2019 – Joel Saget/AFP/Getty Images