RIP James Levine

[+ WilliamM]

Perhaps the most consequential person in the history of the Metropolitan Opera

[+ nycman]

Never liked him.

[+ sync]

Sadly, an artistic luminary that has exited in darkness.

[samsmithson1972]

Talent and genius do not excuse assholes.

[+ Lucky]

Sadly, an artistic luminary that has exited in darkness.

Yes, sad. A guy's mistakes and errors define him over his contributions in his field.

[+ WilliamM]

Yes, sad. A guy's mistakes and errors define him over his contributions in his field.

Well, James Levine had chances to sincerely regret his actions and publicly apologize

 

He chose to remain silent

[+ sync]

Yes, sad. A guy's mistakes and errors define him over his contributions in his field.

You have the trait of a diplomat. James Levine's misbehavior extended well beyond the parameters of mistakes and errors.

 

"The Met initially suspended Mr. Levine in late 2017 after The New York Times published the accounts of several men who said that they had been sexually abused by him as teenagers; Mr. Levine denied their accusations. The Met fired him in March 2018, saying that its own investigation had “uncovered credible evidence that Mr. Levine engaged in sexually abusive and harassing conduct towards vulnerable artists in the early stages of their careers.”

The New York Times

August 6, 2019

[foxy]

Why do so many men throw away illustrious careers just to get laid? I’d think there would be enough willing people who’d happily go along with a role in the hay with someone famous. Why pursue someone who isn’t interested? But I think of a man I used to work with who would say, laughingly “what good is power if you can’t abuse it?” What a terrible way to be remembered.

[samsmithson1972]

Why do so many men throw away illustrious careers just to get laid? I’d think there would be enough willing people who’d happily go along with a role in the hay with someone famous. Why pursue someone who isn’t interested? But I think of a man I used to work with who would say, laughingly “what good is power if you can’t abuse it?” What a terrible way to be remembered.

I wonder the same thing. I think that sometimes it comes from a deep-seated urge for self destruction.

[+ WilliamM]

I wonder the same thing. I think that sometimes it comes from a deep-seated urge for self destruction.

Or feeling very lonely.

[sydneyboy]

The New York Times obituary is excellent. A brilliant musician but obviously deeply flawed man.

[sutherland]

The reality of the situation was not as bad as the rumors I heard. Even back in the 1980's people said "James Levine likes little black boys". Not one of the victims was prepubescent and was probably physically strong enough to flee the premises. That said, Levine was still a creep and he should have been fired a long, long time ago.

[CuriousByNature]

Or feeling very lonely.

Or, if someone with such a tendency gains prestige and fame, perhaps they may grow to see themselves as being untouchable, above the law, and/or completely entitled to do whatever they wish to do regardless of the consequences to others. And with respect to a previous post, even if those he abused were physically strong enough to get away, there is often a power dynamic at play in abuse that renders the victim helpless in those situations.