By FRED KIRSHNIT [NY Sun, 15 March 2006]

It has been the season of cancellations at the Metropolitan Opera. First, Placido Domingo canceled his appearance in a work dredged up from the depths especially for him, Franco Alfano's "Cyrano de Bergerac." Then Angela Gheorghiu opted out of some performances of "La Traviata" (and should have canceled the night that I attended). The big blow, of course, was the grounding for the remainder of the season of music director James Levine, still the heart and soul of the house.