Back injury sidelines Met conductor James Levine

NEW YORK, Sept. 6 (UPI) -- New York's Metropolitan Opera says its music director, James Levine, has had emergency back surgery and will not be conducting this fall as planned.

The New York Times quoted Met officials as saying Levine, who suffers from the spinal condition stenosis, underwent emergency surgery last week after falling and damaging a vertebra while on vacation in Vermont.

Although Levine will retain his title of music director, the Met's principal guest conductor Fabio Luisi will take over Levine's post as principal conductor through the end of the year, the Times said, adding Levine hopes to be well enough to return to the company in January.