The simplicity of this dramatic structure was reflected in Sir David McVicar’s production. The Met Opera’s program explicitly notes the opera’s straightforward structure as one big “dramatic tidal wide,” an emotional crescendo if you will, in which Medea’s anger and rage increasingly dominates the proceedings. Medea, in her rage, concocts a plan to murder Glauce and, to hit Giasone where it hurts the most, kill her children. But at every turn, she is rejected as a monstrous witch and told that she has one day to leave in one day or she will face certain doom. But Medea, who has lost everything after giving herself over to Giasone, won’t relent and begs for reconciliation so that their family, which includes two children, can be together. After acquiring the Golden Fleece, Giasone has left Medea in order to marry Glauce, daughter of Creonte. Written by François-Benoît Hoffmann, the work was based on the famed Euripides play and “Medée” by Pierre Corneille and is rather razor sharp in its dramatic layout. The opera, which premiered in a French version back in 1797, was a major hit throughout the 19th century (with numerous translations, including the Italian one on offer at the Met) until it fell into seclusion, only to be rescued in the 20th century by one Maria Callas, whose interpretation remains the touchstone to this day. The Metropolitan Opera did not immediately respond to TheWrap‘s request for comment. Told of the accusations, a spokesman for Levine did not comment to the Times on Sunday night.The Metropolitan Opera opened its 2022-23 season with the company’s first-ever performance of Cherubini’s “Medea.” Levine stepped down as music director last year, citing health reasons. He also had two other productions slated for the coming months. Levine has led more than 2,500 performances at the Met, and was scheduled to lead a new production of Puccini’s “Tosca” beginning on New Year’s Eve. Gelb says the company was waiting on the results of that investigation.Īlso Read: Matt Lauer, Russell Simmons, Garrison Keillor and the Upending of Everything The other time Gelb is aware of such an accusation being elevated to management was when the Met was contacted by police following Pai’s complaint. “We do not believe there is any truth whatsoever to the charges,” Bliss wrote back then.

Bliss wrote a letter to a board member about unspecified accusations against Levine that had been made in an unsigned letter. In 1979, then-Met executive director Anthony A. In an interview, Gelb further stated that allegations about Levine had previously reached the Met administration’s upper levels twice. Pai reported the crime to Illinois police last year.Īlso Read: Three Vice Employees Fired Amid Ongoing Sexual Harassment Investigation At the time, Levine was music director of the Ravinia Festival. At the time, Levine was a 25-year-old “rising star” on the summer program’s faculty, per the Times.īrown says Levine coaxed him to reciprocate the action.Ī third accuser, Ashok Pai, told the midtown-Manhattan paper of record that he was sexually abused by Levine starting in the summer of 1986, when Pai was 16. These accusations stem back to the summer 1968, when musicians Chris Brown and James Lestock say Levine masturbated them at the Meadow Brook School of Music in Michigan, where both were 17-year-old students. “This is a tragedy for anyone whose life has been affected.”Īlso Read: NY Public Radio Vows 'to Do More' After John Hockenberry Is Accused of Sexual Harassment “While we await the results of the investigation, based on these news reports the Met has made the decision to act now,” Met general manager Peter Gelb told The New York Times.

The Met, which canceled the 74-year-old former music director’s upcoming dates, has hired an outside law firm to investigate the allegations. The Metropolitan Opera has suspended James Levine after three men accused the famed conductor of sexually assaulting them decades ago as teenagers.

Conductor of metropolitan opera