James Levine returns to action at the Met

The Metropolitan Opera unveiled a major new staging of Wagner's 'Das Rheingold' on Sept. 27, yet before a single note was played the audience rose to its feet to give James Levine an extended welcome-back ovation. The music director of both the Met and the Boston Symphony Orchestra has been out on a prolonged medical leave recovering from back surgery last April. In his bows at the end of the night, he looked trimmer than when last seen in Boston and walked gingerly with support from one of the opera's stars. He was clearly thrilled to be back before a live audience. ( Read the full review by Jeremy Eichler ) View photos from the production... From left: Francois St-Aubin, costume designer, Carl Fillion, set designer, James Levine and Stephanie Blythe taking their bows at the end of the performance.
Sara Krulwich/The New York Times
The Metropolitan Opera unveiled a major new staging of Wagner's "Das Rheingold" on Sept. 27, yet before a single note was played the audience rose to its feet to give James Levine an extended welcome-back ovation. The music director of both the Met and the Boston Symphony Orchestra has been out on a prolonged medical leave recovering from back surgery last April. In his bows at the end of the night, he looked trimmer than when last seen in Boston and walked gingerly with support from one of the opera's stars. He was clearly thrilled to be back before a live audience. (Read the full review by Jeremy Eichler)

View photos from the production...

From left: Francois St-Aubin, costume designer, Carl Fillion, set designer, James Levine and Stephanie Blythe taking their bows at the end of the performance.