A Celebration of British Arts Set for L.A. in 1988

Los Angeles will become the first United States city to host a British cultural festival when UK/LA ‘88--A Celebration of British Arts begins its three-month stay early next year, British and local government officials said Wednesday.

Among the highlights of the 22-event festival will be visits by Prince Andrew, the Duke of York, and his wife, the Duchess of York (Sarah Ferguson), and the Los Angeles premiere of a David Hockney retrospective at the County Museum of Art, festival organizers said.

Sir Anthony Acland, England’s ambassador to the United States, said that UK/LA also will draw upon both the traditional and contemporary in British music, theater, film, television, dance and visual arts by building on several previously planned engagements by other touring British companies.

“The thinking behind this festival came from a tradition of strong ties between the United Kingdom and Southern California,” Acland said at a morning press conference.

UK/LA will begin on Feb. 4 with the David Hockney retrospective and will conclude with a five-day Mozart Festival by the Academy of St. Martin in the Fields, ending April 28. The Academy’s performances at Ambassador Auditorium will feature 50 musicians, its largest grouping to appear on the West Coast.

The National Theatre of Great Britain, returning to the United States after a 20 year-absence, has yet to announce its schedule for performances planned for the Doolittle Theatre.

An American Film Institute series, featuring a selection of British television and films from the 1980s, will provide a picture of British youth and minorities, while The Gathering of the Clans, a 25-member Scottish folk song and folk dance ensemble, will perform Feb. 7 at Ambassador Auditorium.

Among the other previously planned events will be an English National Opera production of Gilbert & Sullivan’s “The Mikado,” featuring Dudley Moore as Koko in nine performances at the Wiltern Theatre, beginning March 10.

In addition to the visits by touring artistic companies, the Los Angeles Philharmonic and other sponsoring arts organizations will present their own interpretations of British works.

UK/LA also will feature a commercial element designed to promote British consumer goods, ranging from a British fashion show benefiting local charities to displays of British food products at local supermarkets.

Consul General Donald Ballentyne insisted that UK/LA won’t crowd Los Angeles’ growing roster of festivals.

“I think that Los Angeles can sustain an enormous amount in the cultural field,” he said. “There is a distinct difference between the 1987 (Los Angeles) Festival (an event featuring visiting international performing artists) and what we plan for 1988. I am confident that it is going to be a success.”

A spokesman for the British government said that most of the $5 million needed to mount the event has been raised. Additional fund-raising will be conducted, he said, for still to be scheduled presentations of avant-garde works.

Carol Baker, a Calendar intern and graduate of Occidental, contributed to this article.