Music in mind, Levine talks health

James Levine knows people are worried about him - and about his job stamina.

On the eve of what was supposed to be his return to the concert stage, Levine responded to questions about his health and his ability to serve as both music director of the BSO and the Metropolitan Opera Orchestra in New York, arguably two of the most important jobs in American music.

“My doctors think these things are unrelated to one another and that I am going to be back in the saddle,’’ said Levine. “But one thing that would clearly be a terrible mistake is to come back before my body is ready.’’

Levine, 66, had originally been expected to return tonight to launch what has been lauded as one of the BSO’s marquee events of the season, a performance cycle of all nine Beethoven symphonies. His new return date, he said, is Oct. 30, halfway through the series.

Levine’s comments come at a time when his health problems have led some to question his decision to hold two jobs, as is typical for music directors. His initial BSO deal was recently extended through the 2011-2012 season.

Grant Llewellyn, former BSO assistant conductor and current music director of the North Carolina Symphony, declined to comment specifically on Levine but understands the pressure of leading two orchestras. For a time, he served as music director of the N.C. Symphony and the Handel and Haydn Society. Not long after starting in North Carolina in 2004, he reduced his workload in Boston from 10 weeks to about three weeks per season.

“I can’t compare the pressure of my positions with the kind of scrutiny that James Levine comes under, but on occasion I have found myself with two permanent posts and struggled to feel as if I have been doing justice to both,’’ Llewellyn said. “The combination is quite taxing.’’

Longtime concertgoers also worry about Levine.

Jim Morris, a Dorchester resident and regular BSO attendee, said he wasn’t concerned about the Met job when Levine was first hired. Morris said he was initially pleased by improvements in the overall sound after Levine’s arrival in 2004.

“But I think the situation has changed since he was hired,’’ Morris said. “I certainly hope the administrations of both institutions are going to be looking for him to make a choice.’’

“It’s not his fault, and I don’t blame him for it,’’ said longtime BSO subscriber Roy Hammer of Levine’s health problems. “I just wonder, in the future, will he or will he not be conducting?’’

Levine said he is not even thinking about giving up his Met job, though he concedes that he did not enjoy having both opening nights so close together, with the Met’s on Sept. 21 and the BSO’s two nights later. Within a week, Levine was canceling at both institutions because of surgery for a herniated disk. He had to skip the BSO’s high-profile Oct. 1 concert in New York to open Carnegie Hall’s season.

“Each time [opening night] comes,’’ Levine said, “I think to myself, if it were my choice I wouldn’t do it that way. But both organizations want me to do their opening nights, and as long as they’re opening the same week, I can’t see any other way.’’

The arrangement of working with the two institutions, he said, is perfect. From 1999 to 2004, Levine conducted the Met and the Munich Philharmonic, forcing him to travel long distances. The Boston-New York arrangement is ideal as far as convenience and his artistic growth.

“The way it works is much more stimulating and much more in balance in terms of artistic growth and artistic content than it would be if I did one or the other,’’ Levine said.

Daniel Katzen, second horn in the BSO from 1979 until last year, said there were members of the orchestra who were surprised back in 2004 that Levine didn’t give up his Met position for the BSO because of obvious scheduling conflicts.

“But we figured he was so far out in front of any other contenders for our job, management handled it as best they could,’’ said Katzen. “Frankly, there’s another benefit to management, which is to have the highest-profile conductor in the world, with these two huge jobs.’’

Levine said he never anticipated missing so much time to injury. Last month, in announcing Levine would have surgery for a herniated disc, the conductor’s manager, Ronald A. Wilford, suggested he expected him to return by tonight’s concert. Instead, Rafael Frühbeck de Burgos will conduct tonight through Saturday, and BSO assistant conductor Julian Kuerti will lead the BSO on Oct. 27 and 29.

Levine is paid handsomely for his work at the BSO and Met, $3.4 million in total.

BSO cellist Martha Babcock said the orchestra missed Levine during opening week this season.

“Any time you have three different programs in one week, it’s tiring to start with,’’ she said. “Then when you have three different conductors - even very good conductors - you have to adjust. The sooner he comes back, the more everything goes back to normal.’’

The BSO’s management and board is unwavering in its support for Levine, credited by critics and orchestra members with dramatically improving the symphony’s musical performances.

Mark Volpe, the BSO’s managing director, said he has not heard from subscribers complaining about Levine’s absences.

“I get more comments about, ‘Can you do something about the lady with the perfume next to me? I’m allergic.’ ’’ Volpe said. “There’s concern about his well-being, concern about his health. Beyond that, I’ve heard nothing from the trustees.’’

BSO trustee Paul Buttenwieser said that he is not aware of a single board member expressing regret about Levine’s tenure.

“All in all, even given his absences due to illness, I’m still thrilled, and as far as I can tell every single person on the board is still thrilled,’’ he said.

Statistically, if Levine returns Oct. 30, he will have missed 21, or nearly 9 percent, of the 241 concerts he was scheduled to conduct for the BSO starting in 2004. That includes missing one of his pet projects, a 2008 Tanglewood festival centered on contemporary composer Elliott Carter, and now the first two programs of a Beethoven cycle.

Levine said he loves working with the BSO and hopes to stay with the orchestra “as long as they will have me.’’ He said he had been trying to stay in shape.

“First of all, I conduct,’’ he said. “Second of all, I work with a trainer several times a week. I walk. In warm weather, I like to swim. And I just do what people do.

“But I don’t think there’s time or sense for me to do a very long, complicated regimen on top of moving my body all that time.’’

It is standard for conductors to hold two full-time positions at the same time. Henry Fogel, the former executive director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra, said he doesn’t expect Levine to step down from the Met.

Said Fogel: “Certainly the concept of an important conductor, a conductor of that stature, holding multiple positions has been going on for years.’’

Geoff Edgers can be reached at gedgers@globe.com