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Composer Ligeti, a Kubrick Favorite, Has Died

The composer, Gyorgy Ligeti, has died in Vienna after a long, undisclosed illness. He was 83. Ligeti reached a wider audience than most contemporary composers, largely due to filmmaker Stanley Kubrick, who used several Ligeti works in 2001: A Space Odyssey (Ligeti's 1966 "Lux Aeterna") and Eyes Wide Shut ("Musica Ricercata II").

Ligeti, a Jew, was arrested by the Nazis and sentenced to forced labor. His father and brother died in concentration camps. He left Hungary after the 1956 revolution and settled in Vienna. In his long career, Ligeti composed opera, orchestral and electronic works.

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Neda Ulaby reports on arts, entertainment, and cultural trends for NPR's Arts Desk.