It’s July 1967, and the summer sun is glistening over the bay of Saint-Tropez. But Herbert von Karajan and his wife have little time for leisure. They are posing for a ‘Paris Match’ photographer, and the famous conductor does not look amused…
In recent years, Herbert von Karajan became one of the first celebrities to discover the allure of Saint-Tropez, along with Gunter Sachs and Brigitte Bardot. He and his wife spent many summers here, before the international jet set invaded. In fact, it was on a yacht here that Nice-born Eliette von Karajan, who was discovered by Christian Dior at the age of 18, met her future husband. A brilliant conductor, as well as an ambitious racing driver and pilot, Karajan is considered by many to be grumpy and socially awkward. It’s probably with great reluctance, then, that he has brought his boat out for Paris Match photographer Jean-Claude Deutsch – Karajan supposedly hates being photographed from the front, insisting that he be shot only from the left. It seems Deutsch has been lucky enough to catch him off guard...
Photo: Jean-Claude Deutsch/Paris Match via Getty Images
