The world-famous Dutch conductor Bernard Haitink has died peacefully at his home in London at the age of 92, according to his management agency.

Dubbed ‘the enigmatic maestro’ in a BBC documentary, he was considered one of the conducting greats and in his 65-year career was particularly lauded for his powerful but subtle interpretations of Mahler, Bruckner and Beethoven.

He first conducted Amsterdam’s Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra at the age of 27, and became chief conductor there for 28 years, falling out with the organisation over his successor when he moved to London.

He was long associated with the London Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Opera, Covent Garden and the Glyndebourne Festival in Britain, and also conducted the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Dresden Staatskapelle.

Haitink conducted his last concert of Beethoven and Bruckner, with the Vienna Philharmonic orchestra, at the age of 90 in Lucerne, Switzerland, and earlier this year told the Volkskrant that he was laying down his baton for good.

The Concertgebouw in Amsterdam has opened a condolence register so that music lovers can pay their respects, in person or online.