Former Met Opera Conductor James Levine Has Passed Away At 77

The New York Times reports that former conductor James Levine has passed away at age 77 in Palm Springs, California. His distinguished tenure was in recent years overshadowed by allegations of sexual abuse and harassment which effectively ended his career and resulted in litigation between him and The Met.

James Levine was primarily known for his tenure as Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera, a position he held for 40 years (1976-2016).

He made numerous recordings, as well as television and radio broadcasts, with the Met. Levine also held leadership positions with the Ravinia Festival, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1980 he started the Lindemann Young Artists Development Program, and he often trained promising singers, conductors, and musicians for professional careers.

After taking an almost two-year health-related hiatus from conducting from 2011 to 2013, Levine retired as the Met's full-time Music Director following the 2015-16 season to become Music Director Emeritus before he was terminated in 2017.