Vienna Philharmonic Sought for ’88

Erich Vollmer, general manager of the Orange County Philharmonic Society, disclosed this week that he is negotiating to make Costa Mesa a stop on the 1988-89 West Coast tour of the Vienna Philharmonic with Leonard Bernstein as conductor.

He said the orchestra would provide the kind of orchestral “centerpiece” that he acknowledges is missing for the 1987-88 season. Vollmer said he is optimistic that the negotiations will succeed.

And if all goes as Vollmer hopes, he also will present the London-based Royal Philharmonic, the Bavarian Radio Symphony, the Moscow State Symphony and the Czech Philharmonic in 1988-89. Agents for the orchestras confirmed discussions with Vollmer.

“Yes, indeed, we are talking to him, but I can’t comment at this point” about the likelihood of a Vienna Philharmonic visit to Costa Mesa, said Andrew Grossman, national booking director for Columbia Artists Management Inc. “It may very well work out, but there are some financial considerations we’re looking at.”

The Czech orchestra, which would be making its first appearance in California, would be conducted by Vaclav Neumann, and the Bavarian Radio Symphony would be led by Sir Colin Davis, Grossman said. The Royal Philharmonic would be conducted by Vladimir Ashkenazy, although the pianist would not perform as soloist, according to James Griggs, the agent handling the tour for International Creative Management in New York. Griggs said the Soviet orchestra would be conducted either by Yevgeny Svetlanov, its musical director, or Vladimir Verbitsky, the principal guest conductor.