James Levine |

James Levine

From 1964-70 he was Sell’s assistant with the Cleveland Symphony Orchestra. In 1970 he performed at the Welsh National Opera (Aida). Since 1971 at the Metropolitan Opera (he made his debut in the opera Tosca). Since 1973 he has been the chief conductor, since 1975 he has been the artistic director of this theater. In 1996, Levine’s 25th anniversary at the Metropolitan Opera was celebrated (during this period he performed more than 1500 times in 70 operas). Among the productions performed over the years, we note Puccini’s Triptych, Berg’s Lulu (both 1976), and the world premiere of D. Corigliano’s The Ghosts of Versailles (1991). In 1975 he made his debut at the Salzburg Festival (The Magic Flute, among other productions of Schoenberg’s Moses and Aaron). Since 1982 he has performed at the Bayreuth Festival (among the productions are Parsifal, 1982; Der Ring des Nibelungen, 1994-95). He has performed with the Vienna and Berlin Philharmonic orchestras. Among the many recordings of Mozart’s operas (The Marriage of Figaro, Deutsche Grammophon; The Magic Flute, RCA Victor); Verdi (Aida, Sony, Don Carlos, Sohy, Othello, RCA Victor), Wagner (Valkyrie, Deutsche Grammophon; Parsifal, Philips). Note also the recording of Giordano’s André Chenier (soloists Domingo, Scotto, Milnes, RCA Victor).

E. Tsodokov, 1999