James Levine, famed Met conductor, announces retirement
James Levine, leader of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City since 1976, has announced his retirement, according to a statement from the opera company. The statement said Levine would retire after the current season because of health reasons.
James Levine, leader of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City since 1976, has announced his retirement, according to a statement from the opera company. The statement said Levine would retire after the current season because of health reasons.
Levine, 72, was to have conducted a series of concerts in Philadelphia in February - his first such appearances here in 20 years - but had to cancel them. He has been battling Parkinson's disease and seeking to adjust his medications so he could continue to conduct.
The leader of the Met has one of the most prominent positions in classical music. Among those widely considered as deserving of the position is Yannick Nézet-Séguin, music director of the Philadelphia Orchestra.
Upon his retirement, Levine is to assume the new position of music director emeritus. He will continue as the artistic leader of the Met's Lindemann Young Artist Development Program, a training program he began in 1980, and will continue to conduct some performances.
Levine intends to conduct his remaining scheduled performances for the current season. Those include Verdi's Simon Boccanegra and a revival of Mozart's Die Entführung aus dem Serail (Abduction From the Seraglio) this month, as well as the May 19 and 26 - but not May 22 - Met Orchestra concerts at Carnegie Hall. As for next season, he will withdraw from the new production of Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier but plans to lead Rossini's L'italiana in Algeri, Verdi's Nabucco, and Mozart's Idomeneo, three works that he has conducted many times and that are especially associated with him.
Replacement conductors have not been announced. John Fisher, currently director of music administration, has been promoted to assistant general manager, music administration. His duties include overseeing staff conductors, rehearsal pianists, and prompters; coaching principal singers; and working with the conductors for each Met performance.
Levine is one of the most vigorous and prominent conductors in the world. The Cincinnati-born Levine made his debut at the Met in 1971 at age 28, leading a performance of Puccini's Tosca. He was named principal conductor less than a year later, and became music director in 1976. He has led 2,551 performances, the most of any Met conductor, and more than 85 different operas.
He has conducted Met performances of works by 33 composers, ranging from the company's staples by Verdi, Puccini, Mozart, and Wagner to works by such composers as Berg, Berlioz, Bartók, Debussy, Schoenberg, and Stravinsky. But he also has championed new and neglected work, leading the first-ever staged Met performances of Berg's Lulu; Gershwin's Porgy and Bess; Rossini's La Cenerentola; Verdi's I vespri siciliani, Stiffelio, and I Lombardi; Mozart's Idomeneo and La Clemenza di Tito; Schoenberg's Erwartung and Moses und Aron; Weill's Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny; Busoni's Doktor Faust; and Berlioz's Benvenuto Cellini. In addition, he has led the world premieres of John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles and John Harbison's The Great Gatsby.
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