Fleischmann Resigns Post at Philharmonic

Ernest Fleischmann, executive director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic for the last 17 years, announced his resignation today to assume the position of general administrator and artistic director of the Paris Opera.

“This is a great challenge,” Fleischmann told The Times. “One would be a mouse not to accept it. How many people at this stage of their career would have the opportunity to face a totally new set of challenges?”

Philharmonic board Chairman Rocco Siciliano expressed disappointment over the 60-year-old administrator’s decision to leave, but added, “We can understand the challenge and the opportunity (of the Paris position). The French have been after him for a year or so.”

Siciliano indicated that the board will make a determination on a successor “within the next two or three months. There are only a few individuals qualified to take over his position here.”

Fleischmann’s resignation, effective Sept. 30, 1986, caught many by surprise. “We informed the board on Monday,” said board President Sidney R. Petersen. “I learned about it only last week.”

Petersen downplayed any suggestion that the recent arrival here of Andre Previn as music director was a factor in Fleischmann’s decision: “That’s not the reason he is leaving. He was looking forward to working with Andre. It (the Paris position) is something he always wanted to do.” Previn could not be reached for comment at his home in England.

When Fleischmann came to the Philharmonic after eight years as manager of the London Symphony, the orchestra was giving 54 concerts a year at the Music Center and 30 at the Hollywood Bowl.

Now, the Music Center season totals about 90 events, and the summer Bowl season has doubled in size.