James Levine's Career: In Trouble Because of Health Issues?

[Guest alanm]

The story tells it all, especially the last paragraph:

 

"It would be hard for even a completely healthy and tireless conductor to hold down these two directorships. At the very least, Mr. Levine may have to choose. If not, sadly, the choice may be made for him."

 

I read it as a strong message to Levine via a New York Times story.

 

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/13/arts/music/13levine.html?ref=arts

[edjames]

A Great Talent and Nice Man...

 

Alas, as far as I know, the great conductor has never publically said he was gay.

 

Many years ago, back in the late eighties, he was seen at a notorious NYC gay hustler bar.

 

I saw him about a year ago coming out of an apartment building on Sixth Avenue near 57th St and he was having a lot of difficulty walking. I felt very sorry for him.

 

I wish him well.

 

ED

[body2body]

I was told by a friend who had worked since the 1950's in the world of opera, that the Met had on a number of occasions arrange payments to keep Mr. Levine's sexual pecadillos quiet and out of the Public eye. When one is gifted with genius, much can, and will be forgiven, whether it is romantic indescretions, or chronic health problems.

[Guest alanm]

We know that much in demand conductors are always over scheduled (often well into age 70 through 80). James Levine is no exception, perhaps at the high cost of giving up any personal life.

 

For his own sake, I hope he resigns from one of his two jobs. The Boston gig is the most likely because he has been working for the last two years without a contract.

 

Was the hustler bar Rounds, which was still open well into the early 1990s?

[uwsman2]

Whither Levine....

 

Actually, I think he should keep the BSO and finally retire from the Met. Conducting opera is a more strenuous business, because of the need to coordinate between pit and stage. He's been doing the Met since the early 1970s, and it's probably time to let a new generation take over there. The BSO actually needs him more, in the continuing process of recovering from the lame final years of the Ozawa regime.

[whipped guy]

The BSO needs him more...

 

Actually, I think he should keep the BSO and finally retire from the Met. Conducting opera is a more strenuous business, because of the need to coordinate between pit and stage.

I concur. It is time for some new blood at the MET. Not to knock Levine, but he did keep some of the great conductors out of the Met so that they would not be able to horn in on his territory. In the process we were often given the modern day equivalents of that Bing era routinier Fausto Cleva… about whom it has been said that he conducted at the MET because nobody else would hire him. At any rate, that seems to be changing as evidenced by the recent debut of Riccardo Muti conducting Verdi’s Attila. I have never been a devoted Muti fan, as in the past he always seemed to conduct things too literally and too fast. However, he was quite impressive in that he had total control over both the orchestra and the stage and in the process made Verdi’s early opera seem to be a much better piece that it probably is…

[Diverdan]

Remarkable Man

 

No doubt he is one of the great conductors of our time, and as some have said, it is hard to keep relationships alive with the kind of schedule he must keep. I had the privledge of watching him conduct across a broad range or symphonic, operatic, jazz and contemporary music at Ravinia, a summer music stage in a northern suburb of Chicago. He has always had a weight problem, which exacerbates his problems with his back and with conducting. Michael Tilson Thomas is one of the few great conductors who has been able to keep his youthful physique, and being the conductor of the San Francisco Symphony, no one really cares who he is with, although I think he has had the same partner for some time. Can any of our SF members collaborate that? Some of the greatest times I have had with symphonic music have come from Levine and Tilson-Thomas, and I try to get to the Met and the SF SF Symphony on my travels whenever possible.

[uwsman2]

Mtt

 

MTT's partner is reputedly the brother of flute virtuoso Paula Robison -- which creates a special family atmosphere when MTT conducts with Robison as soloist, as I've seen him do in the past.... )

[Guest Spanky]

I was fortunate enough to have a personal run in with Levine back in the mid 80s. I was attending the Northwestern summer music institute for high school kids. We had been to Ravinia the night before and heard an up-and-coming conductor (can't remember who) struggle through one of the Mahlers. Levine came in to speak with us. He started talking a bit about the need for all conductors to be highly proficient on an instrument. Someone asked him what the previous night's conductor played and Levine looks the questioner straight in the eye and deadpans "based on last night? I'd guess the garden hose." OUCH! That's really the only specific thing I remember, though I recall he was extremely engaging and encouraging.

[Karl-G]

Michael Tilson Thomas

 

For Mr. Thomas' 60th birthday celebration with the San Francisco Symphony in 2005, Michael thanked various people but mostly his partner, Joshua Robison, for their help and support. This was done from the podium in Davies Hall, where the symphony performs, so there is no secret or guessing.