In Wednesday’s (4/28) New York Times, Daniel J. Wakin reports, “The Metropolitan Opera, hobbled by the ailments of its maestro, James Levine, has moved to bolster its musical direction by appointing a principal guest conductor, only the second in its recent history. He is Fabio Luisi, an Italian who has worked for much of his career in German-speaking lands and has been an increasing presence at the Met since he made his debut in 2005 in Verdi’s ‘Don Carlo.’ Mr. Luisi, 51, had stepped in to replace Mr. Levine in performances of Puccini’s ‘Tosca’ this month and in the brief run of Berg’s ‘Lulu,’ which opens on May 8. The Met announced the appointment on Tuesday. Mr. Luisi’s contract runs for three years, he said in an interview, and he is to spend two to three months a season in New York. … Mr. Levine has had a series of health problems in the last several years that have caused him to cancel a number of performances at the Met and at the Boston Symphony Orchestra, where he is also music director. … Being a principal guest conductor creates a more solid relationship with the orchestra, Mr. Luisi said, and would give him the chance to advise the Met on singers, directors and musical issues.”
Posted April 28, 2010
