SINGERS’ SERIES TO BEGIN

“They take good care of us,” Cheryl Parrish says of the management of the San Francisco Opera Center. The soprano from Texas, who appears in recital at Caltech this afternoon at 3:30, refers to herself and other young vocal artists attached to San Francisco Opera.

As members of the center, they participate in major performances by the company in War Memorial Opera House, in touring productions by the Opera Center (formerly Western Opera Theatre) and, now, in a new recital series given in Ramo Auditorium at Caltech.

The help these young artists get from the opera company goes beyond employment, Parrish says.

“As a member of the center, I have access,” she declares. “Any time I have a problem, I can go and talk to Terry McEwen (general director). I get innumerable hours of coaching from the musical staff. And I have the opportunity to meet and spend valuable time with the veteran members of the company.”

Parrish says she has been most kindly treated by the principals of “Werther,” Alfredo Kraus and Renata Scotto, while singing a small role in that opera. And, as a result of a contact made in the company several years ago, Parrish has become a protegee of soprano Regine Crespin. She spent 1 1/2 months studying with Crespin in Paris, during the summer of 1984.

Things do not always work out that way, of course. When Parrish spent a year in Vienna, Austria, in 1978, one of her famous teachers, according to Parrish, “was rather rude to me.” But, there were others, and the Baylor graduate says the year was a success.

Heard as Sophie in the Los Angeles Opera Theater production of Richard Strauss’ “Der Rosenkavalier,” a year ago this month, Parrish says she considers herself “a Strauss singer.”

But, she loves singing recitals, too, as she will this afternoon, when she is assisted by her old Texas friend and colleague, pianist Alan Smith.

“When I appear in recital, I can express Cheryl Parrish for an hour or so,” she says. “And I like that. I don’t have to be anybody else. I can express my own point of view.”

Following Parrish’s appearance, the series of recitals by young artists of San Francisco Opera in Ramo Auditorium at Caltech continues Jan. 26, when baritone David Malis appears. Soprano Nikki Li Hartliep will sing March 9, and the series closes April 20, with a recital by basso Jacob Will.

TO THE SOUTH: In a concert benefiting the Musicians’ Pension Fund of the San Diego Symphony, that orchestra inaugurates its new Symphony Hall on Saturday night. Of course, the San Diego Symphony, conducted by its music director, David Atherton, will play. In addition, a group of soloists headed by (in alphabetical order) Diahann Carroll, James Galway, Joel Grey, Hal Linden, Oscar Peterson, Toni Tennille and Ben Vereen will appear on the gala program. The first subscription concert of the season takes place Nov. 7.

GRANTED: Choreographer Bella Lewitzky is the only West Coast recipient of a Mellon Foundation discretionary fund grant for 1985-86, the foundation has announced. Eleven modern-dance practitioners have received grants; besides Lewitzky, they are Alvin Ailey, Trisha Brown, Lucinda Childs, Merce Cunningham, Laura Dean, Martha Graham, Alwin Nikolais, Pilobolus, Paul Taylor and Twyla Tharp. Lewitzky’s latest grant will total $60,000, to be applied over the next three years. The Los Angeles-based choreographer was similarly honored by the Mellon Foundation in 1975 and 1981.

AROUND TOWN THIS WEEK: At the Philharmonic, settling in after the first three weeks of the season, during which time its music director, Andre Previn, occupied the podium, guest conductors will now hold our interest until January. The first of these is Leonard Slatkin, music director of the St. Louis Symphony. Slatkin’s program, opening the New Music America Festival, Thursday, is treated elsewhere (Page 50) in this issue. Friday and Saturday nights, and next Sunday afternoon, he and the Philharmonic offer another agenda: Beethoven’s “Coriolan” Overture (in the Gustav Mahler edition); the same composer’s “Emperor” Concerto, with John Browning as piano soloist, and (as Thursday night), John Adams’ “Harmonielehre.”

Ensemble Chanterelle, a group of young American musicians specializing in repertory of the 14th to 17th Century, appears today at 4 p.m. in Schoenberg Hall Auditorium at UCLA. The program includes works of Monteverdi, Purcell and Machaut.

Elly Ameling, the justly celebrated Dutch soprano, returns to Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, Tuesday night at 8. Assisted by pianist Rudolf Jansen, Ameling will sing arias by Gluck and Mozart and songs by Schubert, Wolf and Richard Strauss.

And Saturday night at 8:30, again at Ambassador, Julian Bream returns. The English guitarist will offer music by Visee, Domenico Scarlatti, Bach, Sor, Ponce and Albeniz.