A new season at Tanglewood

After missing nearly the entire summer season due to a medical leave, James Levine is scheduled to return in full force next year to conduct eight programs at Tanglewood.

According to the Boston Symphony Orchestra's announcement today, these will include a performance of Stravinsky's "Rite of Spring" and Brahms's Violin Concerto with the soloist Christian Tetzlaff on July 5; a reprise of Brahms's "German Requiem" on July 25 and Mahler's Sixth Symphony on July 17; and an all-Tchaikovsky season opener with pianist Yefim Bronfman on July 3.

As in past seasons, Levine will once again work with the Tanglewood Music Center Orchestra in the preparation of two operas. The first will be Wagner's "Die Meistersinger" (Act III only), to be performed in concert on July 11 with soloists he works with frequently at the Metropolitan Opera (including James Morris, Johan Botha, and Hei-Kyung Hong)The second will be Mozart's "Don Giovanni," with TMC vocal fellows, to be presented in staged performances on July 26 and 27.

Conductor Michael Tilson Thomas will be back on the podium in the Shed for the first time in two decades, leading the BSO in core repertoire: Shostakovich's Fifth Symphony and Rachmaninoff's Third Piano Concerto (with Bronfman) on Aug. 14 as well as Beethoven's Ninth Symphony to close the BSO season on Aug. 23. In between, on Aug. 19 and 20 in Ozawa Hall, he presides over a unique evening-length program he has developed in tribute to his grandparents - Boris and Bessie Thomashefsky - who were pioneers of the Yiddish theater in America.

The summer's other guest conductors will include Herbert Blomstedt, Rafael Fruhbeck de Burgos, Leonard Slatkin, Thomas Dausgaard, Andre Previn, Kurt Masur, and David Robertson, who leads an all-American program on July 26. In addition to Bronfman and Tetzlaff, the roster of soloists includes violinists Gil Shaham, Vadim Repin, and Joshua Bell; pianists Emanuel Ax, Leon Fleisher, Garrick Ohlsson, Leif Ove Andsnes, Peter Serkin, and Jean-Yves Thibaudet; and cellist Yo-Yo Ma, who will perform Shostakovich's First Cello Concerto under the baton of BSO assistant conductor Julian Kuerti on Aug. 9.

Some of the summer's most interesting action promises to take place in Ozawa Hall, where Tetzlaff and pianist Alexander Lonquich will perform the complete Beethoven Violin Sonatas spread over three evenings beginning July 5. The Mark Morris Dance Group returns Aug. 5 and 6, bringing two world premieres with music by Ives and Beethoven performed by Ma, Ax, and violinist Colin Jacobsen. The Juilliard Quartet's first violinist Joel Smirnoff will play his final concert with the ensemble on June 28, a program of Haydn's "Sun" Quartets. And Jordi Savall returns with his period instrument band Le Concert de Nations on July 14 and 15.

The TMC's Festival of Contemporary Music will be directed by composer Augusta Read Thomas, and will run Aug. 7 to 11. Tanglewood on Parade will take place July 28; Keith Lockhart leads the Boston Pops and trumpeter Chris Botti on Aug. 7; and James Taylor expands his visit this year with four concerts, from Aug. 27 to 30, after the BSO season has ended.

There's also good news for teenagers on the lawn - or their parents. The BSO's free lawn tickets used to end at age 12. As of this summer, the new cap is 17.

Tickets go on sale to the public Feb. 15 at 888-266-1200 or www.tanglewood.org.