Rehearsing in the early days Photo: Hastings-Willinger & Associates/Met Opera Archives View a selection of performance, backstage, and rehearsal images from Maestro Levine's four decades with the Met.

The 1974 Met premiere of Verdi's I Vespri Siciliani, conducted by Levine, starred Montserrat Caballé, Sherrill Milnes, and Nicolai Gedda (from left), in a production by John Dexter. Photo: Louis Mélançon/Met Opera Archives

Curtain calls for Puccini's La Bohème on March 15, 1977, the first Live from the Met telecast, starring Renata Scotto and Luciano Pavarotti (at right) Photo: James Heffernan/Met Opera Archives

Berg's Lulu is one of the modern masterpieces Levine introduced to the Met repertoire. The opera's 1977 company premiere starred Carole Farley (pictured) in the title role. Photo: Met Opera Archives

A publicity shot from the late 1970s Photo: Met Opera Archives

With Birgit Nilsson (left) and Leonie Rysanek after a performance of Strauss's Elektra in the 1979-80 season Photo: James Heffernan/Met Opera Archives

With Teresa Stratas during curtain calls for Lulu in 1980 Photo: Met Opera Archives

With Marilyn Horne (left) and Leontyne Price on the occasion of a special concert with the two divas in 1982 Photo: James Heffernan/Met Opera Archives

That same year, Levine conducted Luciano Pavarotti in the title role of Mozart's Idomeneo for the opera's Met premiere.

Maestro Levine and tenor Plácido Domingo have worked together on numerous occasions, including 29 Met performances of Verdi's Otello (pictured).

In 1989, Levine conducted the first complete cycle of Otto Schenk's production of Wagner's Ring, with James Morris as Wotan and Hildegard Behrens as Brünnhilde.

John Corigliano's The Ghosts of Versailles was commissioned to celebrate the Met's 100th anniversary. It had its world premiere in 1991, conducted by Maestro Levine and starring Teresa Stratas and Håkan Hagegård (pictured).

Levine with Plácido Domingo (left) and Luciano Pavarotti after a 1993 performance of Verdi's Il Trovatore in which the two tenors shared the title role Photo: Winnie Klotz/Met Opera Archives

Taking a curtain call after the gala performance celebrating his 25th Met anniversary in 1996 Photo: Met Opera Archives

On tour in Japan, 1997 Photo: Koichi Miura/Metropolitan Opera

Rehearsing the orchestra in a Met rehearsal room in 2008 Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera

Levine was interviewed by host Renée Fleming during the Live in HD transmission of Manon Lescaut in 2008. Photo: Marty Sohl/Metropolitan Opera

Another 20th-century opera championed by Levine is Berg's Wozzeck, which he conducts again this season.

Leading the MET Orchestra at Carnegie Hall, 2008 Photo: Cory Weaver/Metropolitan Opera

Levine conducted Wagner's Das Rheingold, in a new production by Robert Lepage starring Bryn Terfel and Stephanie Blythe (pictured), on Opening Night of the 2010-11 season. Photo: Ken Howard/Met Opera

Taking a bow at the Met's 125th Anniversary Gala, 2009 Photo: Ken Howard/Metropolitan Opera