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

  • CREDITS
  • Television Appearances
  • Music Conductor; Specials
  • 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
  • Gala of Stars 1980, PBS, 1980
  • "Lulu," Live from the Met, PBS, 1980
  • 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
  • La Clemenza di Tito, PBS, 1981
  • 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
  • Gala of Stars 1983, PBS, 1983
  • La Traviata, PBS, 1983
  • "Tannhaeuser," Live from the Met, PBS, 1983
  • 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
  • Die Zauberfloete from the Salzburg Festival, PBS, c. 1983.
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • 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
  • Panasonic Presents: 25th Anniversary Gala at the Met, Pay Per View, 1991
  • 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
  • Otello, 1996
  • 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.
  • 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
  • The Dick Cavett Show, c. 1978.
  • Charlie Rose, PBS, 1993
  • Music director, La Clemenza di Tito (special), 1981
  • Film Work
  • Music director, La Traviata, Universal, 1982
  • Music conductor and director, Fantasia/2000 (animated), Buena Vista/Walt Disney Pictures, 1999
  • Film Appearances
  • Toscanini: The Maestro, 1988
  • Segment host, Fantasia/2000 (animated), Buena Vista/Walt Disney Pictures, 1999
  • RECORDINGS
  • 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
  • Debussy: Forgotten Songs, 1997
  • (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) An Italian Songbook: Bellini, Donizetti, Rossini, 1998
  • 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.
  • Videos
  • (With Metropolitan Opera Orchestra) Verdi: Simon Boccanegra, 1997
  • The 3 Tenors: Paris 1998, 1998

Further Reference

OTHER SOURCES

    Books
    • Chesterman, Robert, editor, Conductors in Conversation, Limelight,1992
    • Contemporary Newsmakers 92, Gale, 1993
    • 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
    • Diapason, March, 1990
    • Fono Forum, c. June, 1992
    • Gramophone, August, 1987
    • Opera, May, 1992
    • Opera News, September, 1980 September, 1990 September, 1997, p. 8
    • Scherzo, June, 1992
    • Time, January 17, 1983

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