Metropolitan Opera Music Director James Levine Withdraws from Fall Season

Metropolitan Opera music director James Levine has withdrawn from conducting performances this fall, as he is having back surgery this week to repair a herniated disc and needs time to recuperate.

Joseph Colaneri, who was already scheduled to conduct Tosca on October 3, 14, and 17, will also take over Levine’s performances of the Puccini opera on October 6 and 10 matinee. Edo de Waart will conduct the upcoming performances of Der Rosenkavalier, starring Renee Fleming and Susan Graham, on October 13, 16, and 19.

It is expected that Levine will return to conduct the new production of Les Contes d’Hoffmann, which opens December 3, and will likely return next year for Simon Boccanegra and Lulu, as well as Der Rosenkavalier in January and Tosca in April. He is also scheduled to lead the Met Orchestra in Carnegie Hall performances in December and January.