The Metropolitan Opera announced this morning that James Levine has cancelled all fall 2011 performances at the Met, including new productions of Don Giovanni and Siegfried. Fabio Luisi, recently named principal conductor at the Met will take over many of Levine's performances. It is reported that Mo. Levine fell recently while on vacation in Vermont. He required surgery which went well but remains incapacitated at this time. Stay tuned. Mr. Levine's declining health has been in the news for several years now. It's sad-his are enormous shoes to fill. Levine is a profound American talent. So many of his performances, Parsifal, Pelleas et Melisande, and Otello haunt me to this day. I want another generation-at least to hear his work in person. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knHX71TVdLg&feature=related
Christopher Purdy is Classical 101's early morning host, 7-10 a.m. weekdays. He is host and producer of Front Row Center – Classical 101’s weekly celebration of Opera and more – as well as Music in Mid-Ohio, Concerts at Ohio State, and the Columbus Symphony broadcast series. He is the regular pre-concert speaker for Columbus Symphony performances in the Ohio Theater.