The Metropolitan Opera has sued James Levine. Two months after James Levine filed a lawsuit against the company for having dismissed him, the Met is suing the conductor for $5.8 million for having harmed the company. In a report filed on Friday, May 18, the Metropolitan Opera alleged that Levine had sexually assaulted nine young artists including two previously unreported {…}
Conductor James Levine has sued the Metropolitan Opera. The AP reported that Levine opted to sue the opera company on Thursday after a sexual misconduct investigation that ended in the conductor being fired. According to Levine’s representative the company “exploited baseless allegations to tarnish him and then fired him without so much as a phone call. The lawsuit accuses the company {…}
The Metropolitan Opera has officially fired James Levine. The New York Times reported that the Met ended its association with the conductor on Monday evening after an investigation that found what the Met called credible evidence that Levine had engaged in “sexually abusive and harassing conduct.” The investigation, which opened in December, found evidence of abuse and harassment “both before {…}
After numerous accusation of sexual misconduct, James Levine has finally responded in a public statement. The conductor said, “As understandably troubling as the accusations noted in recent press accounts are, they are unfounded. As anyone who truly knows me will attest, I have not lived my life as an oppressor or an aggressor.” He continued, “I have devoted my energies to {…}
Emmanuel Villaume will conduct the new production of “Tosca” on New Year’s Eve. The Metropolitan Opera announced that Villaume will conduct the opening performance on Dec. 31, 2017, and Jan. 3, 6, 9, 12, 23, and 27, 2018, replacing James Levine after being suspended due to sexual misconduct. Later performances on April 21, 26 and 30, and May 4, 8 and 12, {…}
The Boston Symphony Orchestra has issued a statement regarding the James Levine scandal regarding sexual harassment. The company stated, “The Boston Symphony Orchestra adhered to a due diligence process, including a personal and professional review of all aspects of James Levine’s candidacy prior to his appointment as music director in 2004, and decided to move ahead with his appointment. During {…}
A police report obtained by the New York Post reveals that famed Metropolitan Opera conductor James Levine is alleged to have molested an Illinois teenager over the course of several years, nearly leading the victim to the point of suicide. In a written statement to the Lake Forest, Illinois Police Department, the victim says “I began seeing a 41-year-old man {…}
On Friday, Nov. 24, the Metropolitan Opera will present Verdi’s famed Requiem with a star cast that includes Aleksandrs Antonenko, Ekaterina Semenchuk, Krassimira Stoyanova, and Ferruccio Furlanetto, all under the baton of Music director emeritus James Levine. Hearing the mass at the Metropolitan Opera is not a particularly common event and the work itself has not featured prominently in the {…}
James Levine is now slated to conduct spring performances of the Metropolitan Opera’s new production of “Tosca.” The music director emeritus will replace the originally scheduled Bertrand de Billy who was scheduled to conduct on April 21 through May 12. There was no official announcement but de Billy is still set to conduct “Cendrillon.” Levine will reunite with Anna Netrebko {…}
Last week we got “Norma,” and this week, the Metropolitan Opera’s famed Live in HD series continues with a broadcast performance of “Die Zauberflöte” on Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. The broadcast, which kicks off 12:55 p.m. Eastern time, will feature maestro James Levine in his first of several broadcasts this season. This will be the maestro’s 48th performance of the {…}
Kathleen Battle is one of the greatest opera stars of all time. Everyone knows that her career was one of many ups and downs, the latter ultimately cost her years of her prime, but while she was at the summit of the opera world, there were few anywhere near her. Battle, born August 13, 1948, had simply too many milestones {…}