NEW YORK, Dec. 11 (UPI) -- New York's Metropolitan Opera music director said he will not conduct through the end of the 2012-2013 season due to a serious spinal injury.
James Levine, 68, made the announcement Friday after having already missed all of the current season because of a fall in August, NY 1 News reported.
"It's something that comes as a great blow, I think, to him and to his fans and to us certainly, but it's not totally unexpected," Peter Gelb, the Metropolitan Opera's general manager, told the news station.
Fabio Luisi filled in as principal conductor and Gelb said the Opera is looking for more replacements.
"Because of the advanced planning that opera requires in order to make sure that we don't disappoint our audiences next season, we had to go ahead engage conductors to fill in where Levine would have conducted next season," he said.
Opera fan Mark Nimar told NY 1 News, "[Levine] brings such a unique energy to the house and a real energy and a gift that is very contagious, and I think it influences the artist, and I think it really brings the work to a very high level."
The news station reported Levine will maintain his role as music director and hopes to return to coaching and artistic planning soon.
