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Opera/Classical

James Levine Redux

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#1 of 7 Posted Oct-27 9:22 AM

From Chuck Christenson Posts 68 Last 7:09 AM
To All [Msg # 90991.1 ]

The Boston Symphony Orchestra has announced that James Levine will not return to conduct the last two series of programs in the Beethoven cycle. Loren Maazel will conduct Symphonie 6 and 7 this weekend and 8 and 9 the following weekend.

-- Chuck

#2 of 7 Posted Oct-28 8:14 AM

From John Francis Posts 189 Last Nov-24
To Chuck Christenson [Msg # 90991.2 90991.1 ]

Well, I can't say I'm surprised - it all seemed too optimistic from the start, didn't it? Now I guess the next question is whether Levine will be able to conduct the new production of "Tales of Hoffmann," and if not, who will.

Presently there's no change on the Met site, and while rehearsals should start next week (if they haven't begun already), I don't suppose the Met will be in any hurry to decide. Three performances around Christmas and New Year are already scheduled to be conducted by John Keenan, an assistant conductor, but he's certainly not going to get the premiere of a new Met production.

#3 of 7 Posted Oct-28 9:58 AM

From Edward A. Cowan Posts 2033 Last 5:20 AM
To John Francis [Msg # 90991.3 90991.2 ]

Certainly I experienced the use of secondary conductors when I visited the "old" Met back in December, 1963, knowing very well that this house was soon to be replaced by the present one at Lincoln Center.

Verdi's Aida had opened that season, cond. Solti. When I saw it on Dec. 30, it was conducted by the Chorus Master, Kurt Adler! (The cast was pretty good, though: Price, Labò, Gorr, London, Giaotti.)

La sonnambula (Dec.27) was conducted by Silvio Varviso, Don Giovanni (Dec.28 m) by Joseph Rosenstock, and La traviata (Dec.28 e) by George Schick.

I guess that star conductors will conduct the prima of a new production, and a few later ones, but the house staff is deemed "good enough" for performances in the dead of late December.

--E.A.C.

#4 of 7 Posted Oct-28 10:50 AM

From Len Goran Posts 294 Last 1:06 AM
To Edward A. Cowan [Msg # 90991.4 90991.3 ]

>La sonnambula (Dec.27) was conducted by Silvio Varviso,<

Ed, that's the one I should have been at--not last year's travesty! Regards, Len [g]

#5 of 7 Posted Oct-28 6:28 PM

From Chuck Christenson Posts 68 Last 7:09 AM
To John Francis [Msg # 90991.5 90991.2 ]

As I said earlier when I reported that Levine's manager at CAM said that he was expected to be back for the beginning of the Beethoven cycle on October 22, "we'll see."

OTOH, I have been advised that the operation to repair a herniated disc is not a very serious one and so there was some reason to be optimistic.

Interestingly, when the Beethoven cycle was announced, Levine mentioned that No. 4 was the only one he had never conducted. It was not included in my Friday afternoon subscription this Fall (assistant conductor Julian Kuerti led it last night and tomorrow night), but Levine is scheduled to conduct it in the Friday afternoon series in March. We'll see.

-- Chuck

#6 of 7 Posted Oct-30 9:16 AM

From John Francis Posts 189 Last Nov-24
To Edward A. Cowan [Msg # 90991.6 90991.3 ]

Kurt Adler - the kiss of death, wasn't he? Even worse than Fausto Cleva, whom some people claimed to think well of. The Met has often given the occasional performance to its chorus master, David Stivender for example, but Adler seemed to be inescapable in routine revivals of standard Italian repertory. And Rosenstock in Wagner and Mozart, efficiency über alles. Shows you what Rudolf Bing thought of conductors in his opera house; wouldn't even have a music director.

I doubt the Met will be able to replace Levine with a "star" conductor (if they have to replace him at all) - they're rarely available at such short notice. But Bertrand de Billy has been conducting some French repertoire there, or Louis Langrée might do it if he's not booked elsewhere. That's the key, of course. Or one of the keys; another would be whichever edition or version of "Hoffmann" the Met is using this time, and finding a conductor who (a) knows it and (b) wouldn't insist on his own favorite version. All in all, it would be better if Levine gets well real soon. <grin>

As for John Keenan, I don't know that I've ever heard him conduct, and he might be very good. When Levine had to bow out of "Lulu" back in 1988, he was replaced by a then unknown staff conductor you've probably heard of since, Donald Runnicles - not bad! This was a revival, of course, and "Lulu" isn't "Hoffmann"...

#7 of 7 Posted Oct-30 9:19 AM

From Len Goran Posts 294 Last 1:06 AM
To John Francis [Msg # 90991.7 90991.6 ]

> "Lulu" isn't "Hoffmann"...<

John, thank goodness! Regards, Len [fleeing]

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Opera/Classical

James Levine Redux

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