Served as a master teacher of film at the Columbia University, the City
College of New York, and the School of Visual Arts for a program called
On Set With French Cinema (2003).
Mainly stage director, who became well-known to critics as actor, director and manager of his high school's theater at the age of 15.
President of the 'Official Competition' jury at the 56th Cannes International Film Festival in 2003.
Directed the centennial staging of Richard Wagner's opera "The Ring of the Nibelung" at the Bayreuth Festival, polarizing fans and critics (1976).