This is bigger than The Met. We have seen a beloved person end his life because of what he believed was hopelessness.

Mr. Levine needs to be a far more public figure. Where but in New York City can such appreciation of a unique genius be appreciated. There are people that are one of a kind. It is important they stay with us as long as possible.

February 1, 2016
By Michael Cooper

The stage was being (click here) set to announce the retirement of James Levine, the music director of the Metropolitan Opera since 1976, after his long standing health woes seemed to worsen this season to the point that singers and musicians were having difficulty following his conducting.

But then Mr. Levine and Peter Gelb, the Met’s general manager, paid a visit last week to his neurologist for an update on his condition — and the doctor gave Mr. Levine an 11th hour reprieve, saying that Mr. Levine’s most serious problems could probably be solved by adjusting the dosage of a medication that he has been taking to treat his Parkinson’s disease.

The news cheered Mr. Levine, who had been saddened by the thought that his illness might force him to step down. “I hope he’s right, because I love the Met company more than I can describe,” the conductor said on Monday evening in an interview at the office of his neurologist, Dr. Stanley Fahn....