Otto Schenk, the prolific Austrian director known for his traditional opera productions, has died at the age of 94. Schenk's lavishly grand stagings of Wagner's operas at the Metropolitan Opera in the United States gained him lasting recognition. Alongside Franco Zeffirelli, he was one of the most prominent directors of historically grand productions that were popular at the Met. However, when Peter Gelb took over as general manager in 2006, Schenk's revivals became less frequent as Gelb recruited new directors with more contemporary ideas. Schenk's productions, particularly his four-part operatic cycle 'Der Ring des Nibelungen,' were praised for their traditional dramaturgy and stagecraft.