James Levine Leaves Tanglewood To Undergo Surgery
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| BSO Music Director James Levine |
"It is extremely frustrating that I need to have this surgery now," said Levine. "My projects at Tanglewood have been planned so carefully and coordinated in such detail by the Festival administration. I especially regret not being here with Elliott Carter for his 100th birthday celebration, which I was looking forward to more than I can say. And I'm very disappointed at having to miss concerts with my colleagues in the BSO, as well as my work with the young musicians of the Tanglewood Music Center."
Mark Volpe, BSO Managing Director, expressed the sentiments of everyone at the Festival: "All of us at Tanglewood are very disappointed that James Levine will not be with us for his remaining concerts this summer," said BSO Managing Director Mark Volpe. "However, we are primarily concerned for Jim's health and well-being, and that everything will be done to ensure a complete recovery so that he returns as soon as possible to his musical life with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and Metropolitan Opera."
The 2008 Tanglewood concert schedule, which offers 67 ticketed performances and runs through Labor Day weekend, will not be disrupted, with all concerts to take place as originally scheduled. An announcement about guest conductors scheduled to take over Maestro Levine's remaining Boston Symphony Orchestra and Tanglewood Music Center concerts will be forthcoming. Maestro Levine led the BSO, a cast of international soloists, and the Tanglewood Festival Chorus in the opening weekend of the Tanglewood season, leading a performance of Berlioz' monumental Les Troyens, July 5 and 6. Also last week, Maestro Levine led the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in a performance of Dvorak's Eighth Symphony.
Tanglewood, located in Lenox, MA, is the summer home of the Boston Symphony Orchestra. For complete details about the 2008 Tanglewood season, visit www.tanglewood.org.
