James Levine has just been suspended from his post as a conductor for the Metropolitan Opera (Met) amid sexual misconduct allegations.

Because of this, Peter Gelb, the general manager of Met, released a statement announcing their decision to temporarily cut ties with Levine.

"While we await the results of the investigation, based on these new reports the Met has made the decision to act now. This is a tragedy for anyone whose life has been affected," said Gelb.

Prior to releasing his statement, Gelb also said that they will take proper action once they are able to prove that Levine indeed sexually assaulted the three musicians.

James Levine's Three Accusers Come Forward

Chris Brown, one of the men who accused Levine of sexual misconduct, detailed the incident that took place three decades ago when he was just a teenager. Brown said that Levine masturbated him and urged him to do the same, which he did.

The second complainant, James Lestock, shared a similar story about Levine masturbating him when he was his cello student. Lestock also revealed that the sexual abuse by Levine did not only happen once.

Ashok Pai also alleged that Levine sexually abused him in 1986 when he was just 16 years old. He also shared his story in a complaint, which he filed against Levine with the Lake Forest Police Department last year.

Pai, now 66, said that what Levine did to him was so traumatizing that he became depressed afterward.

"And I care deeply for those who were also abused, all the people who were in that situation," said Pai.

James Levine Receives Multiple Sexual Abuse Complaints

Meanwhile, this was not the first time that Gelb and the Metropolitan Opera learned about Levine's alleged sexual misconduct. The general manager himself confirmed that similar accusations already reached the administration twice before.

In 1979, Anthony A. Bliss, the executive director of the Metropolitan Opera, wrote a note to the board about a letter he received that contained complaints against Levine. However, the letter was left unsigned, so Bliss believed that its contents were fake. The former executive director passed away in 1991, and no one has a copy of the letter.

Gelb also revealed that a detective working at Lake Forest Police asked him questions about Pai's revelations from last year. The managing director told the board members about it, and Levine vehemently denied the allegations.

Neither Levine nor his rep has commented yet regarding the most recent complaints filed against him.

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Sexual Misconduct