Music Director Emeritus James Levine Adds Tosca to 2017-2018 Roster

Summary: Music Director Emeritus James Levine adds Tosca to the 2017-2018 roster of his conducting commitments for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season.

Music Director Emeritus James Levine debuted at the Metropolitan Opera June 5, 1971, in the opera house's 539th performance of Puccini's Tosca: Music World @MusicLoverWrld, via Twitter July 11, 2017

Music Director Emeritus James Levine adds Tosca to the 2017-2018 roster of his conducting roles to increase his tally to involvement in five productions during the 2017-2018 Met Opera season.

With his fifth production commitment for the 2017-2018 Met Opera season, Maestro Levine reprises the role that marked his conducting debut. He debuted June 5, 1971, in the Metropolitan Opera’s June Festival performance of Tosca by Italian opera composer Giacomo Puccini (Dec. 22, 1858-Nov. 29, 1924).

Speight Jenkins Jr., then Dallas Times Herald’s classical music critic, reviewed the June Festival performance and extolled the conductor’s technique that brought “a new focus” to “the score’s instrumental details.” Jenkins predicted: “Levine should have a great career ahead of him; the Cincinnati-born maestro at only 28 obviously won the respect of the choosy and temperamental Met orchestra.”

Maestro Levine conducts eight of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s 15 performances of Tosca. He conducts the season premiere, Sunday, Dec. 31, at 6:30 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time) and seven of January 2018’s eight performances. He shares Tosca’s conductorship with British conductor Gareth Morrell and French conductor Bertrand de Billy. The season premiere also debuts a new production directed by Sir David McVicar.

Maestro Levine last co-conducted Tosca for the 2009-2010 Met Opera season’s new production under the direction of Luc Bondy. The Swiss film and theatre director’s staging debuted Sept. 21, 2009.

The other four productions in Maestro Levine’s 2017-2018 roster reprise his conductorships of Met productions during his 46 decade-long association with the Metropolitan Opera. In addition to Tosca, Maestro Levine conducts Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte, Verdi’s Messa da Requiem and two Verdi operas, Luisa Miller and Il Trovatore.

Maestro Levine conducts all five of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s performances of Die Zauberflöte by Classical Era composer Wolfgang Mozart (Jan. 27, 1756-Dec. 5, 1791). Opening night is Wednesday, Sept. 27, at 7:30 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). Closing performance is Saturday, Oct. 14, at 1 p.m.

He first conducted Die Zauberflöte for the 1990-1991 Met Opera season’s new production by English opera director John Cox. His last conductorship of Mozart’s operatic fairytale was during the 2006-2007 Met Opera season’s staging under Julie Taymor’s direction.

The American film, opera and theater director’s new production of Die Zauberflöte debuted Oct. 8, 2004, during the 2004-2005 Met Opera season. The 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s production marks a 13-year trend of reviving Taymor’s imaginative staging.

Maestro Levine conducts all four of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s concert performances of Messa da Requiem by Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi (Oct. 10, 1813-Jan. 27, 1901). Opening concert is Friday, Nov. 24, at 8 p.m. EST (Eastern Standard Time). Closing concert is Saturday, Dec. 2, at 1 p.m.

He first conducted Verdi’s Requiem for the Metropolitan Opera’s performance, April 23, 1981, at the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. His first conductorship at the Metropolitan Opera House took place Feb. 20, 1982, as a matinee performance in memory of Francis Arthur Robinson (April 28, 1910-May 14, 1980). Robinson’s association of over three decades with the Met included serving as assistant manager and hosting the “Live at the Met” series.

Maestro Levine’s last conductorship of the Verdi Requiem Mass took place Sept. 18, 2008, at the Metropolitan Opera House. The concert was given in memory of Italian operatic tenor Luciano Pavarotti (Oct. 12, 1935-Sept. 6, 2007).

Maestro Levine conducts all eight of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s performances of Verdi’s Il Trovatore. Opening night is Monday, Jan. 22, 2018, at 7:30 p.m. Closing night is Thursday, Feb. 15, at 7:30 p.m.

He first conducted Il Trovatore for the 1972-1973 Met Opera season. His last conductorship of Verdi’s Spanish tragedy was during the 1988-1989 Met Opera season’s staging under Fabrizio Melano’s direction. Melano’s staging debuted as a new production during the previous season.

Levine’s conductorship of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s Il Trovatore introduces him to Sir David McVicar’s staging. The Scottish opera and theatre director debuted Feb. 16, 2009, at the Metropolitan Opera with his new production of Il Trovatore.

Maestro Levine conducts all seven of the 2017-2018 Met Opera season’s performances of Giuseppe Verdi’s Luisa Miller. Opening night is Thursday, March 29, at 7:30 p.m. EDT (Eastern Daylight Time). Closing performance is Saturday, April 21, at 12 p.m.

He first conducted Italian opera composer Giuseppe Verdi’s Luisa Miller for the Metropolitan Opera on Oct. 15, 1971, four months after his Met Opera debut. Maestro Levine’s last conductorship of Luisa Miller was during the 2001-2002 Met Opera season. The 2017-2018 production revives the 2001-2002 season’s new staging by Australian opera, theatre and television director Elijah Moshinsky.

The takeaway for the addition of Tosca to Music Director Emeritus James Levine’s 2017-2018 roster is that his involvement in the 2017-2018 Met Opera season has a new tally of five productions comprising Mozart’s magical fable, one of Puccini’s soaring tragedies, two Verdi operas and the Verdi Requiem.

Sonya Yoncheva's Met Opera role debut as Tosca happens in the season premiere of Sir David McVicar's new production Dec. 31, 2017: Sonya Yoncheva @sonyayoncheva, via Twitter Aug. 4, 2017

Acknowledgment

My special thanks to talented artists and photographers/concerned organizations who make their fine images available on the internet.

Image credits:

Music Director Emeritus James Levine debuted at the Metropolitan Opera June 5, 1971, in the opera house's 539th performance of Puccini's Tosca: Music World @MusicLoverWrld, via Twitter July 11, 2017, @ https://twitter.com/MusicLoverWrld/status/884893498226487296

Sonya Yoncheva's Met Opera role debut as Tosca happens in the season premiere of Sir David McVicar's new production Dec. 31, 2017: Sonya Yoncheva @sonyayoncheva, via Twitter Aug. 4, 2017, @ https://twitter.com/sonyayoncheva/status/893401101663428613

For further information:

“Debuts: Peter Glossop, James Levine.” MetOpera Database > [Met Performance] CID: 225710 Tosca {539} Metropolitan Opera House: 06/05/1971.
Available @ http://archives.metoperafamily.org/archives/scripts/cgiip.exe/WService=BibSpeed/fullcit.w?xCID=225710

Jenkins, Speight. “What Makes a Great Opera Singer?” OperaSleuth. Aug. 24, 2015.
Available @ http://www.artsjournal.com/operasleuth/2015/08/what-makes-a-great-opera-singer.html

Marriner, Derdriu. “Music Director Emeritus James Levine Conducts Mozart and Verdi in 2017-2018.” Earth and Space News. Monday, July 3, 2017.
Available @ https://earth-and-space-news.blogspot.com/2017/07/music-director-emeritus-james-levine.html

McPhee, Ryan. “James Levine.” Playbill > Classic Arts. July 11, 2017.
Available @ http://www.playbill.com/article/james-levine-will-conduct-the-mets-new-toscanearly-50-years-after-making-his-debut-with-the-opera

Metropolitan Opera @MetOpera. “James Levine will conduct the Met’s new production of Puccini’s Tosca next season, replacing Andris Nelsons, who has withdrawn.” Twitter. July 10, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MetOpera/status/884443682879021056

Music History @today_classical. “Today in 1971 Met Opera debut of #conductor James #Levine with Puccini’s Tosca.” Twitter. June 5, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/today_classical/status/871698315192270848

Music World @MusicLoverWrld. “James Levine Will Conduct the Met’s New Tosca -- Nearly 50 Years After Making His Debut With the Opera.” Twitter. July 11, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/MusicLoverWrld/status/884893498226487296

Sonya Yoncheva @sonyayoncheva. "I am delighted to debut Tosca at the @MetOpera! The new production starring @VittorioGrigolo and @Bryn_Terfel opens on Dec 31, 2017." Twitter. Aug. 4, 2017.
Available @ https://twitter.com/sonyayoncheva/status/893401101663428613

Woolfe, Zachary. “James Levine to Replace Andris Nelsons in the Met’s New ‘Tosca.’” The New York Times > Arts > Music. July 10, 2017.
Available @ https://www.nytimes.com/2017/07/10/arts/music/james-levine-andris-nelsons-metropolian-opera-tosca.html?ref=todayspaper