NEW YORK (CelebrityAccess) — James Levine, the transformative music director of the Metropolitan Opera, has announced that after 40 years in the position, he will step down at the end of the current season.
Levine, 72, has faced significant health challenges in recent years, including Parkinson’s disease and a debilitating back injury in 2010 that left him sidelined for 2 years.
The company said that a plan to appoint a successor was in place and they would make an announcement about a new music director in the coming months.
According to the New York Times, Levine will become music director emeritus at the company, and is expected to continue conducting at the Met and to lead its Lindemann Young Artist Development Program.
Levine helped to transform the Met into one of the world’s leading operas companies and since his debut at the company in 1971, has conducted more than 2500 performances. – Staff Writers
