Death of James Levine

[PeterRS]

Although music is not included in the forum title, I assume it can be bracketed with art. James Levine was one of the great conductors of the second half of the last century. He was Artistic Director at the Metropolitan Opera for about 40 years, a record that will never be broken. He also conducted virtually all the world's great orchestras, many like the Berlin Philharmonic and the Vienna Philharmonic regularly. He died recently aged 77.

Like all conductors he was not perfect. In Levine's case, his flaws unfortunately included a sexual attraction to teenagers. Rumours abounded especially in the music profession that the Board of the Metropolitan Opera had paid large sums to parents to keep at least two of these sexual molestations away from the media. As a man in a position of great power in the music profession, other young men came forward alleging their careers were affected because they did not do as he requested.

It took the Met Opera decades to set up an inquiry headed by a lawyer. By 2018 its report found "credible evidence that he had 'engaged in sexually abusive and harassing conduct'". He was then fired. He sued the Met's Board and ended up with a $3.5 million out of court settlement. That the Board had been aware of his conduct for decades is one of the disgraces of this sad ending.

That he was a great conductor in certain repertoire is indisputable. He also moulded the Met orchestra into one of the finest in the world. But it is likely that as with Weinstein and Cosby, he will be remembered at least in the short to medium term more for his extra curricular activities than those on the podium.

[TotallyOz]

He was impressive. I saw him perform in NYC many times and loved listing to him. RIP

[RockHardNYC]

Interesting piece you wrote, PeterRS. 

Of course the Met settled. They were complicit. Imagine the case if it had ventured into the court room. I expect a great movie one day. At least I hope. However, the Met won't be a producer.

A genius male talent can easily destroy his career and reputation these days, gay or straight. Woody Allen once said that artists live by their own moral code. It's true, but they can no longer expect the social justice warriors of the world to accept that code let alone tolerate it. Now, they have a platform to destroy you.

Powerful predators have long been able to do their dirty work as long as they remain powerful, wealthy, and surround themselves with enablers. I suspect these secret alliances are going to change. How fast the change comes remains to be seen. Money, and a lot of it, can still be a hefty persuader.

The role of teenage boys in Ancient Rome offers titillating history lessons. And look where that civilization ended up. Even with willing participants under the age of eighteen, American laws and social customs will not tolerate such fantasies. Maybe if Levine could have limited himself to legal age, perhaps eighteen-year-old guys who looked fifteen, he could have kept his fetish alive and secret. But once you delve into acts of dominance and abuse, which are difficult to avoid in these older/younger scenarios, all bets are off. Inevitably, someone is going to feel slighted and want to seek revenge via scandal.

Predator personalities have never been my cup of tea, no matter the level of talent. I've known a few, and never let them get too close. They are a selfish, demanding clan.

[PeterRS]

Shakespeare's oft quoted adage "The evil that men do lives after them; the good is oft interred with their bones" is frequently quoted when a person has been guilty of dirty deeds.  I wonder if that is so true of musicians, actors, painters and others. 

Earlier I bracketed Levine with Weinstein and Cosby. There is, though, a difference with Shakespeare's dictum. Levine must have conducted at least 100 CDs and DVDs if not quite a few more. Although the format may change, that music and those operas are likely to live on in time for many decades or longer. In, say, 40 years will anyone listening to a Verdi opera conducted by Levine know that he was a molester of youngsters? Will anyone watching "Shakespeare in Love" know that Weinstein was a serial molester? Surely by that time their names will have been whitewashed by copyright owners, recording companies, film distributors etc.?

In classical music, we know that the Renaissance composer Gesualdo murdered his wife and her lover. In painting we know that Caravaggio was a murderer. In sculpture Benvenuto Cellini was even worse, murdering almost at will. Yet the art of all remains exceedingly popular and unsullied by by their more lurid activities.

[RockHardNYC]

4 hours ago, PeterRS said:

Yet the art of all remains exceedingly popular and unsullied by...more lurid activities.

Which speaks to the higher power of creative genius. Man is flawed. Everyone should know that. But the genius of art can live its own life and be judged separately.

The problem with Levine and Weinstein as examples, they facilitated and supported great art that already existed. The stain of scandal will linger longer for them, as opposed to a Caravaggio or Cellini.

Cosby's talent was comedy. Not sure the genius of comedy can handle the test of time. Will Louis CK ever be forgiven by mass audiences? Or will whipping out his dick become a part of his new act? Comedy is a talent that can break all the rules.

Woody Allen is a better example since he is a writer first. I suspect some of his better movies will be enjoyed for generations to come. Art lovers tend to care more about the art than the scandals of the artist.