L.A. OPERA THEATER GOES OUT OF BUSINESS

After six years of producing operas, Los Angeles Opera Theater went out of business Monday.

Henry Holt, the company’s artistic director, and Edmund M. Kaufman, president of the board of directors, said, in a prepared statement issued Monday, that the company’s “inability to raise sufficient revenue from foundations, the corporate community and other donors” was responsible for its being “no longer able to continue its operations.” The announcement went on to say that the theater “has explored every avenue, including possible merger with another performing arts organization and co-production relationships with other opera producers--but to no avail.”

After opening its 1985-86 season in July with a new production of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni,” given in refurbished Wiltern Theatre, the Opera Theater had postponed its scheduled October performances of Berg’s “Lulu,” also planned at the Wiltern. At the time of the postponement, in September, Holt had expressed hope that the double bill of “Cavalleria Rusticana” and “Pagliacci” scheduled in March, would still take place.

The announcement Monday stated that “throughout these years, LAOT lived with an ever-increasing deficit,” but the amount of the deficit was not specified. However, at the September press conference announcing the postponement of “Lulu,” Holt had acknowledged that the company’s current deficit was “in the neighborhood of $70,000,” not counting “some outstanding loans.”

Neither Holt nor Kaufman was available Monday for further comment. LAOT founder Johanna Dordick, who resigned her post as artistic director in April and reportedly moved to New York earlier this month, was also unavailable.