Posted on 12/03/2017 8:30:50 AM PST by bkopto
Legendary Metropolitan Opera conductor James Levine molested an Illinois teenager from the time he was 15 years old, sexual abuse that lasted for years and led the alleged victim to the brink of suicide, according to a police report obtained by The Post.
The alleged victim came forward to the Lake Forest, Ill. Police Department in October 2016 to detail the molestation, including times when Levine would masturbate in front of him and kiss his p*n*s, according to the report.
The alleged victim informed a former Met Opera board member of the alleged abuse in 2016 and she alerted the Met’s general manager, yet Levine continued to wield his baton.
The now 74-year-old maestro, who spent 40 years as music director of the Metropolitan Opera and is currently director emeritus, conducted a performance of Verdi’s “Requiem” at Lincoln Center Saturday.
The alleged victim’s 2016 claims came nine years after the statute of limitations on a possible child sex crime in Illinois had expired. The age of consent in that state is 17.
(Excerpt) Read more at nypost.com ...
The grunts distress my wife, but I tell her its just a phase - nearly all teen boys go through it. Later on, when they are older and out of the house, their attitude will turn around and they’ll realize that mom and dad did right by them, and in turn, they will be good parents, in all likelihood. They just cannot ignore the years of love, especially when they find out what the real world is like.
From a commenter on Twitter who apparently has close connections to the MET:
“One of the top music execs in the country told me 20 years ago when I asked “it’s all true, there have been millions paid in settlements.” I believed him. Levine has led an extremely sordid life that would have landed anyone else in prison long ago.”
https://twitter.com/tonywendice1954/status/937182401373130752
That's an interesting line item on any budget.
Agree. I didn’t know if you were the dad or the mom. It hurts when they are monosyllabic. But they do come around. I get into the best conversations now with my oldest. Tell your wife they will come back! It’s heartbreaking when they don’t tell you their whole day any more.
My second oldest still isn’t there yet but I think he is entering that phase. I still have two to cuddle, yay. One day there will be the last time they sit on my lap.
Maybe the cops need to look into those rumors...
You're right. This story almost screams 'fatherless family - maybe Mom and 'live in boyfriend'... Anyone know for sure? Whatever, we know his 'parents' are liberals...
What’s new, another queer rapes a little boy and if he finds the right judge he may be released on a 10k bail. Once again, the rest of the queer lifestyle shines from the closet.
“Most homosexuals were sexually abused as children.”
*All* men who suffer from same-sex attraction disorder were seduced or raped in their pre-adult years. That trauma is the source of the disorder.
Almost all men who suffer from SSAD lie about this.
What are your thoughts on how sad the little boy raped dozens of times must feel. How many other liittle boys did he rape? Guarantee this is not the only victim. Life in prison is the least punishment this creep deserves.
If you will remember way back, about thirty years ago there was a scandal at the Met in which a female violinist was murdered, and a man’s semen was found in an ashtray. The story said there was more, then the story died.
I heard rumors of this on a Gustav Mahler board a few years ago. At the time, I thought it was just malicious gossip. Guess it wasn’t. Too bad. I have a lot of his recordings. They’ll never sound the same now.
Haven’t read all the details, but would be amazed if it was as bad.
Saville was beyond belief bad, under age boys and girls at the BBC, boys and girls in a hospital and necrophilia in the hospital morgue !!!!!
He kept a camper van in the BBC, where he abused children and the BBC did nothing !!!!!
All those PBS concerts on TV and everyone applauding James Levine for directing the production. Very sad.
In this particular case, it seems that the statute of limitations precludes criminal prosecution.
I didn’t read anything about “the little boy raped dozens of times.” Maybe those details are provided in articles other than the ones I did read.
I knew nothing of Levine’s predilections or off-duty activities back in those days, and was unaware of his “reputation.” I only knew him through his work as a conductor.
Which is why I find the whole thing very sad.
Nonetheless, if Levine is guilty of crimes for which he can be prosecuted, then he should be prosecuted.
Oh man. Nice.
Hang him from a scratchy rope. It says it went on for years.
The unnamed victim said in his statement to police “It nearly destroyed my family and almost led me to suicide. I felt alone and afraid. He was trying to seduce me. I couldn’t see this. Now I can.”
With long-silent victims of abuse now speaking out about sexual harassment and predatory behavior by powerful, high-profile men in Hollywood, Congress and the media, it was inevitable that stories would begin to appear about sexual misbehavior in the backstage classical music milieu where conductors wield great power with few consequences for unprofessional behavior.
Rumors have swirled about a seamy, scandalous side to Levine’s private life for decades. Yet with no victims coming forward and few media outlets willing to look into politically and economically dicey stories concerning a famous and popular conductor at one of the world’s most celebrated and venerable arts institutions, the issue stayed largely underground within the business.
I used to post same, but couldn’t find studies to back it up.
Only one shrink asserted that “All” of his SSAD patients were victims.
Keep in mind some childhood memories are suppressed.
I’ve heard stories where the guy didn’t recall until his 30’s that an Uncle had abused him as a child.
He was straight, but the memories suppressed.
I have pages of study links and excerpts now for reference, as well as hardcover books.
Grim stuff.
“I used to post same, but couldn’t find studies to back it up.”
I’ve been doing my own studies since 1965.
Oh, not funded studies in which one writes down every lie the subjects tell and treats them like data. More accurate than that, motivated by a will to discover the truth, and not by a desire to panhandle for funding.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.