Thomas Schippers introduced Kathleen Battle to his fellow conductor James Levine who selected Battle to sing in Mahler's Symphony No. 8 at the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra's May Festival in 1974. This was the beginning of a friendship and close professional association between Battle and Levine that would last for 20 years and resulted in several recordings and performances in recital and concert performances, including engagements in Salzburg, Ravinia, and Carnegie Hall. Battle made her professional operatic debut in 1975 as Rosina in Rossini's "The Barber of Seville" with the Michigan Opera Theatre in Detroit. She made her New York City Opera debut the following year as Susanna in Mozart's "The Marriage of Figaro", and in 1977 made both her San Francisco Opera debut as Oscar in Verdi's "Un ballo in maschera" and her Metropolitan Opera debut as the Shepherd in Wagner's "Tannhäuser". The latter performance was conducted by James Levine. Battle made her Glyndebourne Festival debut (and UK debut) singing Nerina in Haydn's "La fedeltà premiata" in 1979.