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James Lawrence Levine ( liv-EYEN; June 23, 1943 – March 9, 2021) was an American conductor and pianist. He was music director of the Metropolitan Opera from 1976 to 2016, and wielded the baton for 2577 Met performances. At the end of his career, his reputation was tarnished by allegations of sexual misconduct stretching back half a century. Levine denied the claims, but the Met found them credible enough to fire him in 2018.
Levine debuted on the piano at age 10 as a soloist with the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. He studied under Walter Levin, Rudolf Serkin, and Rosina Lhévinne before enrolling at Juilliard School of Music, where he studied conducting with Jean Paul Morel. He graduated in 1964, and became an apprentice to George Szell with the Cleveland Orchestra. He debuted as a conductor at the Metropolitan Opera in 1971.
Levine held leadership positions with the Ravinia Festival, the Munich Philharmonic, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra. In 1980 he started the Lindemann Young Artists Development Program, and trained singers, conductors, and musicians for professional careers.
Levine took an almost two-year health-related hiatus from conducting from 2011 to 2013, during which time he held artistic and administrative planning sessions at the Met, and led training of the Lindemann Young Artists. He retired as the Met's full-time Music Director following the 2015–16 season to become Music Director Emeritus, retaining oversight of his young artist program and continuing some conducting activities.
In 2016–17, a number of men alleged Levine had molested them as student musicians several decades previously. Police investigations did not result in criminal charges, but music organizations such as the Ravinia Festival and the Boston Symphony Orchestra broke ties with him. After being fired from the Met, Levine sued his former employer for breach of contract and defamation, eventually reaching a confidential settlement that the New York Times reported to be $3.5 million.
Levine's performances were extensively recorded in audio and video. He appeared in the Disney film Fantasia 2000, and conducted all the music that was newly recorded for it with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra.
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