A prominent practitioner of the historically grand productions that were once fashionable at the Met, he was especially well known for his stagings of Wagner.

Otto Schenk, an actor who became a noted director praised for traditional opera productions and criticized by advocates of contemporary approaches, died Thursday at age 94. Schenk lived in Austria, and his death was announced by the Vienna State Opera.

The Austrian director was revered among many operagoers, especially for his productions of the works of Richard Wagner.

Otto Schenk, a celebrated actor and director renowned for his traditional opera productions, passed away on Thursday at the age of 94. The Vienna State Opera, where Otto had an illustrious career spanning decades,