Times: Levine Suspended

[+ WilliamM]

Met Opera Suspends James Levine Amid Abuse Accusations

By MICHAEL COOPER 8:13 PM ET

 

Three men said the conductor sexually abused them decades ago when they were teenagers. The Met then suspended its four-decade relationship with Mr. Levine, 74, and canceled his scheduled engagements.

 

Met Opera Suspends James Levine Amid Abuse Accusations

By MICHAEL COOPER 8:13 PM ET

 

Three men said the conductor sexually abused them decades ago when they were teenagers. The Met then suspended its four-decade relationship with Mr. Levine, 74, and canceled his scheduled engagements.

[+ WilliamM]

Washington Post

 

Style

Metropolitan Opera suspends James Levine over sexual abuse allegations

 

Anne Midgette December 3 at 8:49 PM

 

The Metropolitan Opera announced Sunday that it was suspending its relationship with James Levine, its music director emeritus and a monumental figure in the world of classical music, because of multiple allegations of sexual misconduct.

 

The suspension was a response to a one-two punch of newspaper articles on Saturday and Sunday reporting that three men said they had been sexually abused by Levine, now 74, at different points starting in the late 1960s. “While we await the results of the investigation, based on these new news reports, the Met has made the decision to act now,” Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, said in a statement.

 

It was the Met’s second update of the weekend about Levine, following an announcement on Saturday, after the New York Post ran the first public allegation, that the company would start an investigation of its own into Levine’s past behavior. The Post article detailed sexual abuse allegations that Ashok Pai, a 48-year-old man, made to the police department in Lake Forest, Ill., last year — allegations that the Met had known about since they were made.

 

This first came to the Met’s attention when the Illinois police investigation was opened in October, 2016,” Gelb said in a statement. “At the time, Mr. Levine said that the charges were completely false, and we relied upon the further investigation of the police.”

 

Gelb could not be reached for comment on why the Met deemed the charges worthy of investigation at this time, but not a year ago.

 

 

On Sunday, after the New York Times published accounts by two more men who say Levine molested them when they were underage, the Met cut the cord altogether, relieving Levine of all future engagements. “This is a tragedy for anyone whose life has been affected,” said Gelb.

[+ Charlie]

The hypocrisy of the Met administration, which has known about Levine's sexual escapades and protected him for years, is more appalling than his actions.

[Kenny]

The hypocrisy of the Met administration, which has known about Levine's sexual escapades and protected him for years, is more appalling than his actions.

Dunno about “more” appalling, but certainly as appalling. Bastards.

[+ WilliamM]

The hypocrisy of the Met administration, which has known about Levine's sexual escapades and protected him for years, is more appalling than his actions.

 

Concerning the Met, It may seem that way now. But, long term I am not so sure.

 

As for Levine, I'll save my sympathy for the men and boys who were sexual abused. I hope Levine's reputation takes a significant hit -- long term.

[+ Charlie]

The Met has always been willing to overlook unsavory behavior if they thought someone was a great artist, as they did after WWII for those who had had questionable connections with the Nazis. What disgusts me is their cowardice in refusing to acknowledge their principle, instead pretending that they never knew anything about about Levine's behavior nor tried to protect him from the consequences. I suppose they are just following their lawyers" advice.

[+ WilliamM]

What disgusts me is their cowardice in refusing to acknowledge their principle, instead pretending that they never knew anything about about Levine's behavior nor tried to protect him from the consequences

 

Why should any organization protect him? I was subject to potential sexual abuse from a professor when I was a freshman in college. I found an excuse to leave, and stayed far away in class afterwards. I would have pushed him away if he touched me.

 

If it had gone further, I would have been very, very angry if the university had protected the professor.

 

In fact, the Met protected Levine long after it made sense!