FIRST OFF . . .

The Denver Symphony temporarily pulled back this weekend from the brink of bankruptcy with a plan to raise $700,000 by Oct. 1 to meet a $655,000 deficit. An agreement between management and the orchestra also provided that the musicians would take a $160,000 reduction in benefits while administrative expenses would be reduced by $236,000. The Greater Denver Chamber of Commerce and classical musical station KVOD-FM promised to raise $350,000 each. According to Chris Dunworth, president and executive director of the symphony, Mayor Fedrico Pena told the symphony that he would do his best to see to it that rent on city-owned Boettcher Concert Hall would not to be paid for this year, saving another $200,000, while Colorado Gov. Roy R. Romer has also been contacted about having the state “raise or find” $100,000. If the symphony meets its deadline, Vladimir Feltsman will open the season Sept. 29--or Oct. 1 or 2, the three dates that the blockbuster Soviet emigre pianist is scheduled to play Rachmaninoff’s “Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini.” However, six performances, including the season-opener concert set featuring sister-pianists Katia and Marielle Labeque, have been canceled.