# R.I.P. Met Opera's James Levine

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [March 18, 2021, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162 "2021-03-18T08:49:00Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 6\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 8:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162/1 "2021-03-18T08:49:00Z")

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[James Levine](https://www.nytimes.com/2021/03/17/obituaries/james-levine-dead.html), Met Opera Maestro for over 40 years, has died, at the age of 77.

“No artist in the 137-year history of the Met had as profound an impact as James Levine,” Peter Gelb, the company’s general manager, said in a statement. “He raised the Met’s musical standards to new and greater heights during a tenure that spanned five decades.”

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162/2 "2021-03-18T12:06:31Z")

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You buried the lede a bit.

> until allegations of sexual abuse and harassment ended his career

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**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\
**Post date:** [March 18, 2021, 12:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162/3 "2021-03-18T12:35:25Z")

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This NYT actual lede from an article about his “tarnished legacy” is no help:

> His career ended with allegations of sexual abuse and harassment. But the Metropolitan Opera’s longtime conductor, who has died at 77, changed that company in ways that will outlive him.

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**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162/4 "2021-03-20T03:39:29Z")

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I wasn’t trying to minimize his sexual abuse past. What he did was inexcusable, and he deserved to suffer the consequences.

But nobody can deny his amazing artistic contributions to the history of the Met. He single-handedly transformed the organization in so many ways. His impact will be felt for generations.

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**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\
**Post date:** [March 20, 2021, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162/5 "2021-03-20T13:48:46Z")

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> [@panache45](#):
>
> His impact will be felt for generations.

Especially on the people who’s lives he ruined.

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**Author:** ![nearwildheaven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/90db22/32.png) [@nearwildheaven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nearwildheaven)\
**Post date:** [March 22, 2021, 2:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/r-i-p-met-operas-james-levine/938162/6 "2021-03-22T02:38:01Z")

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My local newspaper’s story definitely dodged the fact that the allegations were made by men.