UPDATE:The Met press office this afternoon [!] has broken the news:

James Levine has withdrawn from the four performances of Tosca and three performances of Lulu he was scheduled to conduct in April and May. He is to undergo corrective surgery for an ongoing lower back problem.

Fabio Luisi will replace Levine for both Tosca (April 14, 17, 20, and 24 mat.) and Lulu (May 8, 12, 15 mat.)

And so, Levine’s 2009-2010 Met schedule will end up consisting of only 11 performances (plus four concerts and two open dress rehearsals) — his shortest season with the company since his debut during the June festival in 1971!

That is, unless he recovers in time for [never mind, that tour isn’t until June 2011.]

Earlier: Operachic “reports” (without indicating a source) that James Levine has withdrawn from both Tosca and Lulu at the Met this spring, to be replaced by Fabio Luisi (not pictured).  La Cieca’s New York source confirms that Levine is definitely out of the Tosca, but calls the news about Lulu “premature.”

Your doyenne will continue to follow up on this side of the pond.