Pavarotti Leaves S.F. Opera in a Flap

Lotfi Mansouri’s first season as general director of the San Francisco Opera ends today, with the final performance of a “La Boheme” that was marked by a scandal-in-a-teapot when Luciano Pavarotti withdrew earlier than expected.

Pavarotti was scheduled to sing the first seven of a nine-performance “Boheme” schedule, which would allow him to make a Venice commitment for his directorial debut, staging Donizetti’s “La Favorita” for the Teatro la Fenice. For the last two performances by the SFO, Luis Lima was supposed to replace Pavarotti as Rodolfo, surrounded by a different cast.

But then Pavarotti officially asked to be released even earlier in the run. His representatives and associates had been making informal comments about his withdrawal months before it was officially announced. Company officials deny that they knew of this in advance and withheld the information to sell more tickets, pointing out that the two final performances, originally planned to be without Pavarotti, sold out. (“Boheme,” it might be noted, always sells well.)

“Luciano didn’t ask for a release until after the third performance” (Nov. 22), Mansouri protested. “He wanted to leave after the fourth, but I persuaded him to stay through the fifth.”

In the event, Lima covered the two performances that Pavarotti left Rodolfo-less and sings the role today, with Fernando de la Mora in turn spelling Lima last Friday. Company officials acknowledge that they have received letters from disgruntled subscribers over the incident, but say that casting is always subject to change and their long-standing policy is not to offer refunds in such cases.

AND IN SANTA FE: The 33rd season of Santa Fe Opera, June 30-Aug. 26, includes the U.S. premiere of Judith Weir’s “A Night at the Chinese Opera,” which was first performed at the Cheltenham Festival in 1987. Other repertory: “La Traviata,” with Sheri Greenawald, Richard Drews and Brent Ellis; Cavalli’s “La Callisto,” in the Leppard edition, with Tatiana Troyanos; Massenet’s “Cherubin,” with Frederica von Stade and Karen Huffstodt; “Der Rosenkavalier” with Jeanne Piland, Ashley Putnam, Cheryl Parrish and Eric Halfvarson.

CONTRACTS AND GRANTS: The National Endowment for the Arts has awarded $9.4 million to 172 orchestras in 47 states. Southland recipients include the L.A. Philharmonic, $286,000 (one of eight orchestras to receive the highest funding); San Diego Symphony, $75,000; L.A. Chamber Orchestra, $60,000; Long Beach Symphony, $30,000; Pacific Symphony, $25,000; Pasadena Symphony, $25,000; Santa Barbara Symphony, $14,000; Ventura County Symphony, $8,000.

The members of the Minnesota Orchestra have ratified a new three-year contract, which will bring their weekly minimum to $1,115 in 1991 and increase their benefits package from $17,000 to $23,000 annually. . . . Violist Myra Kestenbaum will receive $2,000 from the L.A. Chamber Orchestra in settlement of a grievance filed by musicians union Local 47 over allegedly improper audition procedures. The orchestra has also agreed to change its audition practices. The $1-million lawsuit filed by Local 47 against the orchestra last year over its dismissal procedures is still pending. . . . BMG Classics, which markets RCA Red Seal and Eurodisc, will not renew its distribution contract with Erato when its present agreement with the French record company expires at the end of 1989.

THE COMPETITIVE EDGE: The Concert Artists Guild in New York has released its second annual “Guide to Competitions,” listing almost 300 competitions open to American musicians; (212) 333-5200. . . . Works by Haruna Aoki, Emil Kehlenbach and John J. Naples have been selected winners in the 1988 Freeman Competition for Composers. Chosen from 40 entries from young composers in the western United States, the three works will be performed at the CalArts Contemporary Music Festival on March 11. . . . Indiana University at Bloomington hosts the USA International Harp Competition July 4-14, when 35 harpists will vie for prizes including cash, harps and a N.Y. debut. . . . The local screening auditions for the Eighth Van Cliburn International Piano Competition--which will include participants from both the Soviet Union and China for the first time--will be held in Hancock Auditorium, USC, Jan. 24-26, and, also for the first time, these auditions will be open to the public.