· Classical
Conductor James Levine, ex Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera , died at the age of 77
Conductor James Levine, who led Metropolitan Opera for 40 years, died at the age of 77.
According to the Met's statement, Levine conducted more than 2,500 performances of 85 different operas at the Met, starting with his company debut in 1971 leading Puccini’s Tosca.
Levine became Principal Conductor of the Met in 1973 and Music Director in 1976. He founded the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in 1980 and the Met Orchestra’s annual series of concerts at Carnegie Hall in 1991. He performed with virtually every major opera singer of the past half-century. A book and documentary film celebrating his 40th anniversary with the company was released in the summer of 2011. The Met dismissed Levine in 2018 after an internal inquiry found "credible evidence" of historic sexual abuse against young male musicians.
Photo credit: Getty Image
According to the Met's statement, Levine conducted more than 2,500 performances of 85 different operas at the Met, starting with his company debut in 1971 leading Puccini’s Tosca.
Levine became Principal Conductor of the Met in 1973 and Music Director in 1976. He founded the Met’s Lindemann Young Artist Development Program in 1980 and the Met Orchestra’s annual series of concerts at Carnegie Hall in 1991. He performed with virtually every major opera singer of the past half-century. A book and documentary film celebrating his 40th anniversary with the company was released in the summer of 2011. The Met dismissed Levine in 2018 after an internal inquiry found "credible evidence" of historic sexual abuse against young male musicians.
Photo credit: Getty Image
