COC's Debus steps in for Levine at Tanglewood

The Canadian Opera Company’s music director Johannes Debus will make his debut at the Tanglewood Music Center July 23 to take James Levine's place as conductor. 

Levine, who has been beset with health problems, announced Monday he is withdrawing from Tanglewood, the prestigious U.S. festival, for the entire summer.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra music director is recovering from major back surgery in April.

Debus, conducting the BSO for the first time, will hold the baton for a concert performance of Mozart's The Abduction from Seraglio, with soloists Lisette Oropesa, Ashley Emerson, Eric Cutler, Anthony Stevenson and Morris Robinson.  

Debus, who conducted a sellout performance of War and Peace with the Canadian Opera Company in 2008, was named music director of the Toronto-based COC in 2009. He was previously with the Frankfurt Opera as assistant conductor and resident conductor.

Other conductors called in to substitute for Levine:

• Michael Tilson Thomas, music director of the San Francisco Symphony, July 9, 16 and 17.
• Christoph von Dohnányi,  former music director of the Cleveland Orchestra and a resident conductor at Tanglewood, Aug. 1 and 2.
• Hans Graf, music director of the Houston Symphony, July 25.