Word: conductor
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...since Bernstein has an American-born, American-trained conductor had such an astonishing career. As music director and principal conductor of New York City's Metropolitan Opera, one of the world's top opera companies, Levine wields an international influence. During the summers, when he is not working at the Met, he leads the Chicago Symphony as music director of the Ravinia Festival. He is in demand as a guest conductor, and such is his reputation that whenever a major vacancy in the conductorial ranks occurs, Levine's name (it rhymes with divine) is invariably mentioned...
...activity limited to America. Since 1975, Levine has appeared regularly at the prestigious Salzburg Festival in Austria, leading widely acclaimed productions of Mozart's The Magic Flute and La Clemenza di Tito in the composer's home town. When Wolfgang Wagner, grandson of Richard, was seeking a conductor for last summer's centennial production of Parsifal at Bayreuth, Levine was his choice. "Jimmy's star is going up," says a member of the Chicago Symphony. "I don't think anything will interrupt the rise." Levine talks about his ascent to prominence with a characteristic mixture...
...love, you look down and his face is reading love." Yet Levine tries not to get so caught up in the music that he loses perspective. "Take the last page of Bohème," he says. "Many people cry. They are moved over and over again. As a conductor, I want to make sure that reaction happens. My tears only hurt my ability to make the audience...
...point of hastiness, and in his enthusiasm for the music he often lets the sound of the orchestra overwhelm the singers, swamping them amid Wagnerian brass fortissimos or with the urgent sweep of passionate Verdian strings. Even the Met orchestra musicians, who are generally enthusiastic about their conductor, complain. Sometimes after a performance they leave informal, anonymous critiques: "Too loud, Maestro." "Much too slow." "Much too fast...
Levine is also accused of conducting too many performances, freezing out eminent guest conductors. "The weakness of the conducting staff is a manifestation of his own ego," says one disgruntled Met musician. "Where are the likes of Claudio Abbado, Riccardo Muti, Sir Georg Solti, Zubin Mehta, Lorin Maazel and Sir Colin Davis?" With Levine leading 78 performances this season, there is always the possibility that the orchestra will grow stale. Says Met Conductor Jeffrey Tate: "All orchestras like guests. They see Jimmy all the time, and there is a great danger for both of them in this. They must loathe...