Conductor James Levine, who ruled over the Metropolitan Opera for more than four decades before being eased aside when his health declined and then was fired for sexual improprieties, died March 9 in Palm Springs, CA. He was 77.

Known for bushy hair and an ever-present towel draped over a shoulder during rehearsals, Levine greatly expanded the Met’s repertory, and was especially praised for his performances of Wagner, Verdi and Berg.

In addition to his lengthy tenure at the Met, Levine was music director of the Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s Ravinia Festival from 1973-93, the Munich Philharmonic from 1999-2004, and the Boston Symphony Orchestra from 2004-11.

He led upward of 110 performances in a season in the 1980s, including tours. He started conducting from a chair in late 2001, when tremors in his left arm and leg became noticeable. His health worsened in 2006. In May 2013, he conducted from a motorized wheelchair that he would use for the remainder of his career.