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Theatre, Film, and Television Biographies
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Robert Lantos to Steven Levitan
James Levine Biography (1943-)
Surname is pronounced Le-vyne; full name, James Lawrence Levine; born June 23, 1943, in Cincinnati, OH; son of Lawrence M. (a dress manufacturer) and Helen (an actress; maiden name, Goldstein) Levine. Addresses: Office: Metropolitan Opera Association, Inc., Metropolitan Opera House, Lincoln Center, New York, NY 10023.
- Gender
- Male
- Occupation
- Conductor, pianist, artistic director, music director
- Birth Details
- June 23, 1943
- Cincinnati, Ohio
Famous Works
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CREDITS
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Television Appearances
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Music Conductor; Specials
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Look-In at the Met with Danny Kay, Beverly Sills, and Robert Merrill, CBS, 1975
- "La Boheme," Live from the Met, PBS, 1977
- "Rigoletto," Live from the Met, PBS, 1977
- "Cavalleria Rusticana" and "Pagliacci," Live from the Met, PBS, 1978
- "Otello," Live from the Met, PBS, 1978
- "The Bartered Bride," Live from the Met, PBS, 1978
- "Luisa Miller," Live from the Met, PBS, 1979
- "Otello," Live from the Met, PBS, 1979
- "Rise and Fall of the City of Mahagonny," Live from the Met, PBS,1979
- "Manon Lescaut," Live from the Met, PBS, 1980
- "Don Carlo," Live from the Met, PBS, 1980
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Gala of Stars 1980, PBS, 1980
- "Lulu," Live from the Met, PBS, 1980
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Gala of Stars 1981, PBS, 1981
- "Elektra," Live from the Met, PBS, 1981
- "Il Trittico," Live from the Met, PBS, 1981
- "La Traviata," Live from the Met, PBS, 1981
- "Rigoletto," Live from the Met, PBS, 1981
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La Clemenza di Tito, PBS, 1981
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Gala of Stars 1982, PBS, 1982
- "La Boheme," Live from the Met, PBS, 1982
- "In Concert at the Met: Troyanos, Domingo, Levine," Live from the Met, PBS, 1982
- "Der Rosenkavalier," Live from the Met, PBS, 1982
- "In Concert at the Met: Price, Horne, Levine," Live from the Met,PBS, 1982
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Gala of Stars 1983, PBS, 1983
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La Traviata, PBS, 1983
- "Tannhaeuser," Live from the Met, PBS, 1983
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Placido Domingo Celebrates Seville, PBS, 1983
- "In Concert at the Met: Domingo, Milnes, Levine," Live from the Met, PBS, 1983
- "Centennial Gala," Live from the Met, PBS, 1983
- "Idomeneo," Live from the Met, PBS, 1983
- "Ernani," Live from the Met, PBS, 1983
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Die Zauberfloete from the Salzburg Festival, PBS, c. 1983.
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Gala of Stars 1984, PBS, 1984
- "Les Troyens," Live from the Met, PBS, 1984
- "Don Carlo," Live from the Met, PBS, 1984
- "La Forza del Destino," Live from the Met, PBS, 1984
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Gala of Stars 1985, PBS, 1985
- "Simon Boccanegra," Live from the Met, PBS, 1985
- "Francesca da Rimini," Live from the Met, PBS, 1985
- "Aida," Live from the Met, PBS, 1985
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Gala of Stars 1986, PBS, 1986
- "Le Nozze di Figaro" (also known as "Marriage of Figaro"), Live from the Met, PBS, 1986
- "Lohengrin," Live from the Met, PBS, 1986
- "L'Italiana in Algeri," Live from the Met, PBS, 1986
- "Carmen," Live from the Met, PBS, 1987
- "Turandot," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1988
- "Il Trovatore," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1988
- "Ariadne auf Naxos," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1988
- "Bluebeard's Castle" and "Erwartung," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1989
- "Aida," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1989
- "Mozart in Salzburg" Great Performances, PBS, 1990
- "Der Ring des Nibelungen," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1990
- "Kathleen Battle and Jessye Norman Sing Spirituals," Great Performances, PBS, 1990
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Great Moments from the Met, PBS, 1990
- "Don Giovanni," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1990
- "A Masked Ball from the Metropolitan Opera" (also known as "Un Ballo in Maschera"), Great Performances, PBS, 1991
- "The Magic Flute" (also known as "Die Zauberfloete"), The MetropolitanOpera Presents, PBS, 1991
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Panasonic Presents: 25th Anniversary Gala at the Met, Pay Per View, 1991
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Carnegie Hall: Live at 100! The Gala Celebration, PBS, 1991
- "The Metropolitan Opera Silver Anniversary," Great Performances, PBS, 1992
- "The Ghosts of Versailles," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS,1992
- "L'Elisir d'Amore," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1992
- "Parsifal," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1993
- "Falstaff," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1993
- "Stiffelio," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1993
- "I Lombardi," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1994
- "Elektra," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1994
- "Tabarro" and "Pagliacci," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1994
- "Simon Boccanegra," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1995
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Otello, 1996
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Tristan und Isolde, 2001
- Also conductor for other television specials, including programs with theVienna Philharmonic Orchestra in Vienna, 1986, and at the Salzburg Festival,1982 and 1989, all shown on Austrian television; with Kathleen Battle, Placido Domingo, and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in Tokyo, shown on Japanesetelevision, 1988; with the Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra in East Berlin shownon German television, 1989; and with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra in Tel Aviv, shown on Israeli television, 1994.
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Television Work
- Pianist, In Performance at the White House, PBS, c. 1984.
- Pianist, "Pavarotti and Levine in Recital," The Metropolitan Opera Presents, PBS, 1988
- Host, "Toscanini: The Maestro," Great Performances, PBS, 1988
- Pianist, "Mozart in Salzburg," Great Performances, PBS, 1990
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The Dick Cavett Show, c. 1978.
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Charlie Rose, PBS, 1993
- Music director, La Clemenza di Tito (special), 1981
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Film Work
- Music director, La Traviata, Universal, 1982
- Music conductor and director, Fantasia/2000 (animated), Buena Vista/Walt Disney Pictures, 1999
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Film Appearances
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Toscanini: The Maestro, 1988
- Segment host, Fantasia/2000 (animated), Buena Vista/Walt Disney Pictures, 1999
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RECORDINGS
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Albums
- (With New Philharmonia Orchestra and John Aldis Choir) Verdi: I VespriSiciliani, RCA, 1974
- (With London Symphony and John Aldis Choir) Rossini: The Barber of Seville (also known as Rossini: Il barbiere di Siviglia), Angel, 1974
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Mahler: Symphony No. 4 in G Major, RCA, 1974
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Brahms: Symphony No. 1 in C Minor, RCA, 1975
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Mahler: Symphony No. 3 in D Minor, RCA, 1976
- (With National Philharmonic Orchestra) Verdi: Otello, RCA, 1978
- (With National Philharmonic Orchestra and Ambrosian Chorus) Puccini: La Boheme, Angel, 1979
- (With Philadelphia Orchestra) Mahler: Symphony No. 10, RCA, 1980
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Mahler: Symphony No. 7 in E Minor (Song of the Night), RCA, 1981
- (With Philharmonia Orchestra and Ambrosian Opera Chorus) Puccini: Tosca, Angel, 1981
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra and Chorus) Verdi: La Traviata,Elektra, 1982
- (With Alfred Brendel and Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Beethoven: The 5Piano Concertos, Philips, 1983
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Schubert: Symphony No. 9 in C Major("The Great"), Deutsche Grammophon, 1983
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus) Brahms: A German Requiem, RCA, 1983
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra) Dvorak: Symphony No. 7 in D Minor, RCA Red Seal, 1984
- (With Chicago Symphony Orchestra and Chorus) Orff: Carmina Burana,Deutsche Grammophon, 1985
- (With Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra) Berg/Webern/Schoenberg: Orchestral Pieces, Deutsche Grammophon, 1986
- (With Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra) Strauss: Ariadne auf Naxos, Deutsche Grammophon, 1986
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Wagner: Die Walkuere, DeutscheGrammophon, 1988
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Wagner: Das Rheingold, Deutsche Grammophon, 1989
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Wagner: Goetterdaemmerung, Deutsche Grammophon, 1991
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Arias, 1996
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) James Levine's 25th Anniversary Collection, 1997
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Wagner: Der fliegende Hollander, Sony, 1997
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Debussy: Forgotten Songs, 1997
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) An Italian Songbook: Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, 1998
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Mozart Arias, 1998
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Verdi: I Lombardi, 1998
- Also conductor for numerous other symphony, opera, and ballet recordings,including the operas Bellini: Norma (with New Philharmonia Orchestra), ABC/Angel; Bellini: Norma (with National Philharmonic Orchestra), CBS; Cilea: Adriana Lecouvreur (with Philharmonia), CBS; Donizetti: L'Elisir d'Amore (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon;Giordano: Andrea Chenier (with National Philharmonic Orchestra), RCA;Mascagni: Cavalleria Rusticana (with National Philharmonic Orchestra), RCA; Mozart: Cosi fan tutte (with Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon; Mozart: Idomeneo (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon; Mozart: Le Nozze di Figaro (with MetropolitanOpera Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon; Mozart: Die Zauberfloete (withVienna Philharmonic Orchestra), RCA; Puccini: Manon Lescaut (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Decca; Schoenberg: Erwartung (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Philips; Stravinsky: Oedipus Rex (with ChicagoSymphony Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon; Tchaikovsky: Eugene Onegin (with Dresden Staatskapelle), Deutsche Grammophon; Verdi: Aida (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Sony; Verdi: Don Carlo (with MetropolitanOpera Orchestra), Sony; Verdi: La Forza del Destino (with London Symphony Orchestra), RCA; Verdi: Giovanna d'Arco (with London Symphony Orchestra), EMI; Verdi: Luisa Miller (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra),Sony; Verdi: Rigoletto (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), DeutscheGrammophon; Verdi: La Traviata (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon; Verdi: Il Trovatore (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Sony; Wagner: Parsifal (with Bayreuth Festival Orchestra), Philips; Wagner: Parsifal (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon; and Wagner: Siegfried (with Metropolitan Opera Orchestra), Deutsche Grammophon.
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Videos
- (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Verdi: Simon Boccanegra, 1997
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The 3 Tenors: Paris 1998, 1998
Further Reference
OTHER SOURCES
Books
- Chesterman, Robert, editor, Conductors in Conversation, Limelight,1992
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Contemporary Newsmakers 92, Gale, 1993
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Encyclopedia of World Biography, 2nd edition, Gale, 1998
- Hart, Philip, Conductors: A New Generation, Scribner, 1979
- Jacobson, Bernard, Conductors on Conducting, Columbia, 1979
- Matheopoulos, Helena, Maestro: Encounters with Conductors of Today, Harper, 1982
Periodicals
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Diapason, March, 1990
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Fono Forum, c. June, 1992
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Gramophone, August, 1987
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Opera, May, 1992
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Opera News, September, 1980 September, 1990 September, 1997, p. 8
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Scherzo, June, 1992
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Time, January 17, 1983
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