American pianist and conductor, artistic director of the Metropolitan Opera from 1976 to 2016.
Born in 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio, into a musical family. He began taking music lessons from early childhood; at age 10, he made his debut as a concert pianist, performing Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 2. He studied with Walter Levin (founder and first violinist of the LaSalle Quartet), Rudolf Serkin, and Rosina Lhévinne. In 1964, he graduated from the Juilliard School in New York. From 1964 to 1965, he was an assistant to George Szell, director of the Cleveland Orchestra, and then, until 1970, served as the orchestra's assistant conductor. In 1970, he made his debut as a guest conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, and Welsh National Opera. From 1965 to 1972, he taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music; during the summer months, he worked at the Meadow Brook School of Music in Michigan and at the Ravinia Festival in Illinois, where he served as music director from 1973 to 1993.
He made his Metropolitan Opera debut on June 5, 1971 (Puccini's "Tosca"); in February 1972, he was appointed principal conductor of the company, and in 1976, he became its music director. Under Levine's leadership, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra significantly expanded its recording and concert activities, and Levine himself became one of the world's most sought-after conductors. At the Met, Levine conducted over 2,500 performances; he toured extensively abroad with the company and made a vast number of audio and video recordings. In 1999, at the celebration of the Met's 25th anniversary, he conducted the world premiere of John Harbison's opera "The Great Gatsby", specially commissioned for the occasion.
In 1980, he founded the Metropolitan Opera's young artists program, in which many renowned American singers trained. In 2001, he became principal conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and director of the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts, where he gave masterclasses, conducted the student orchestra, and oversaw opera productions. From 1999 to 2006, he was music director of the student Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.
Levine's activities were not limited to the United States; as a guest conductor, he regularly performed with European orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, and the Saxon State Chapel. He also appeared at the Bayreuth Festival and led the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994 to 2004.
Born in 1943 in Cincinnati, Ohio, into a musical family. He began taking music lessons from early childhood; at age 10, he made his debut as a concert pianist, performing Mendelssohn's Piano Concerto No. 2. He studied with Walter Levin (founder and first violinist of the LaSalle Quartet), Rudolf Serkin, and Rosina Lhévinne. In 1964, he graduated from the Juilliard School in New York. From 1964 to 1965, he was an assistant to George Szell, director of the Cleveland Orchestra, and then, until 1970, served as the orchestra's assistant conductor. In 1970, he made his debut as a guest conductor with the Philadelphia Orchestra, San Francisco Opera, and Welsh National Opera. From 1965 to 1972, he taught at the Cleveland Institute of Music; during the summer months, he worked at the Meadow Brook School of Music in Michigan and at the Ravinia Festival in Illinois, where he served as music director from 1973 to 1993.
He made his Metropolitan Opera debut on June 5, 1971 (Puccini's "Tosca"); in February 1972, he was appointed principal conductor of the company, and in 1976, he became its music director. Under Levine's leadership, the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra significantly expanded its recording and concert activities, and Levine himself became one of the world's most sought-after conductors. At the Met, Levine conducted over 2,500 performances; he toured extensively abroad with the company and made a vast number of audio and video recordings. In 1999, at the celebration of the Met's 25th anniversary, he conducted the world premiere of John Harbison's opera "The Great Gatsby", specially commissioned for the occasion.
In 1980, he founded the Metropolitan Opera's young artists program, in which many renowned American singers trained. In 2001, he became principal conductor of the Boston Symphony Orchestra and director of the Tanglewood Music Center in Massachusetts, where he gave masterclasses, conducted the student orchestra, and oversaw opera productions. From 1999 to 2006, he was music director of the student Verbier Festival Orchestra in Switzerland.
Levine's activities were not limited to the United States; as a guest conductor, he regularly performed with European orchestras such as the Vienna Philharmonic, Berlin Philharmonic, London Philharmonic, and the Saxon State Chapel. He also appeared at the Bayreuth Festival and led the Munich Philharmonic Orchestra from 1994 to 2004.
