Israeli violinist Ivry Gitlis died Thursday at the age of 98 in Paris, his family announced.
A popular artist, he had played in the largest halls and with the best orchestras.
World-renowned virtuoso violinist, loving to share his passion with the wider public, Ivry Gitlis died Thursday at the age of 98 in Paris, his family told AFP.
The death of this musician who has played in the most prestigious venues and with the largest orchestras occurred Thursday morning, said one of his four children, David Gitlis.
Unesco Goodwill Ambassador, this Israeli residing in France had a special place in the classical musical world: renowned for his sometimes atypical interpretations of the repertoire, he was also at ease in jazz or gypsy music. .
A "legend of the violin"
The cellist Gautier Capuçon expressed on social networks his "immense sadness" after the death of this "legend of the violin", while his brother, Renaud Capuçon greeted "a star for all violinists", "the last of the Tsars of the violin to have crossed the 20th century ".
"My dear friend Ivry Gitlis is gone. He was a giant personality. I was happy to be his friend for more than 50 years. I will miss you, Ivry", reacted on Twitter the Israeli violinist Itzhak Perlman.
In the photo accompanying the tweet, he and Ivry Gitlis, wearing a chapka, have their hands clasped.
A defender of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process
The first Israeli artist to perform in the USSR (in 1955), founder of numerous festivals (in Vence, Menton, Saint-André-de-Cubzac, etc.), he was also an ardent defender of the Israeli-Palestinian peace process.
White bushy hair and piercing blue eyes, a charismatic, whimsical and fierce personality, Ivry Gitlis generally played, motionless and with his eyes closed.
His violin: a 1713 Stradivarius acquired in 1964.
He was a popular artist, readily present on television at the end of the 20th century.
He was one of the favorite guests of Jacques Chancel's cult show
Le Grand Échiquier
.