O.C. Philharmonic Sets New Season : Classical music: The society’s executive director says 1992-93 performers make up a ‘strong’ schedule, but financial constraints also played a role in booking decisions.

The Orange County recital debut of violinist Pinchas Zukerman, the newly formed Russian National Orchestra in its first U.S. tour and the Ballet Folklorico de Mexico in its first local appearance in 15 years highlight a slightly scaled-down 1992-93 season for the Orange County Philharmonic Society.

Additionally, the society will continue the collaboration it began last year with the Laguna Chamber Music Society in co-sponsoring a six-program chamber-music series at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

The society dropped its own Festival series of recitals at the Barclay, which drew approximately 50% of capacity to five performances during the 1991-92 season. OCPS also has cut back on the number of big-name soloists offered in previous years.

“To be absolutely candid,” executive director Erich A. Vollmer said at a press conference Tuesday, “this is a very strong season but first and foremost, it’s a season we can afford.

“It’s not a case of our saying, ‘We want this, this and this,’ but selecting what (performers) of quality can we bring to Orange County that will not ruin us financially.”

The society has posted a deficit at $307,000 this year, but because of reserves from previous seasons, the overall deficit is only $244,000. The budget for next season is approximately $2.3 million, he said, down from $2.6 million this year. A wider range of prices on individual tickets will be offered this year--from $9 to $49, compared with $15 to $40 last season--while the spread in series subscriptions will remain about the same--$46 to $256 versus $48 to $233 in 1991-92.

Zukerman, who conducted the English Chamber Orchestra in a society-sponsored concert in April, will give a recital Feb. 5, 1993, at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. The Russian National Orchestra, formed in 1990 by pianist Mikhail Pletnev who conducts the orchestra, will play Jan. 11 at the Center. The Ballet Folklorico de Mexico will appear there on Nov. 18.

The society’s 39th season comprises 23 concerts and recitals, including the first county appearance of the Vancouver Symphony, the Krasnoyarsk Dance Company of Siberia and the 177-year-old Handel and Haydn Society of Boston, led by Christopher Hogwood.

The society will offer three subscription series at the Performing Arts Center and one at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Series tickets will be available to the general public beginning April 24. Tickets for individual concerts will go on sale Sept. 1. Information: (714) 553-2422.

ORANGE COUNTY PHILHARMONIC SOCIETY

1992-93 CONCERT SEASON SCHEDULE

At the Orange County Performing Arts Center

Date Artists Sat., Sept. 26 Vancouver Symphony 8 p.m. Sergiu Comissiona, conductor Andrea Lucchesini, piano (a) Sat., Oct. 17 Los Angeles Philharmonic 8 p.m. Esa-Pekka Salonen, conductor Emanuel Ax, piano (a) Tue., Oct. 27 Sofia Philharmonic 8 p.m. Emil Tabakov, conductor Soloist TBA (b) Wed., Nov. 18 Ballet Folklorico de Mexico (c) 8 p.m. Fri., Nov. 20 Seattle Symphony 8 p.m. Gerard Schwarz, conductor Dmitry Sitkovetsky, violin (b) Sun., Nov. 22 Los Angeles Chamber Orchestra 3 p.m. Christof Perick, conductor Anne Gjevang, contralto (a) Sat., Dec. 12 Los Angeles Philharmonic 8 p.m. Yuri Temirkanov, conductor Elizabeth Leonskaja, piano (b) Wed., Dec, 16 Chanticleer 8 p.m. “Christmas with Chanticleer” (c) Mon., Jan. 11 Russian National Orchestra 8 p.m. Mikhail Pletnev, conductor Soloist TBA (a) Fri., Feb. 5 I Solisti Italiani 8 p.m. Michala Petri, recorder (b) Sat., Feb. 6 Pinchas Zukerman, violin 8 p.m. Marc Neikrug, piano (c) Fri., March 19, 1993 Krasnoyarsk Dance Company 8 p.m. of Siberia (c) Sun., March 21, 1993 Los Angeles Philharmonic 3 p.m. Enrique Diemecke, conductor Artur Pizarro, piano (b) Fri., April 2, 1993 Australian Chamber Orchestra 8 p.m. Daniel McKelway, clarinet (c) Fri., April 23, 1993 Academy of St. Martin in the 8 p.m. Fields, Iona Brown, director Christopher Parkening, guitar (a) Sat., April 24, 1993 Handel & Haydn Society 8 p.m. Christopher Hogwood, conductor With chorus, plus soloists TBA (b) Sat., May 1, 1993 Pittsburgh Symphony 8 p.m. Lorin Maazel, conductor (a)

(a) the Great Orchestras subscription series

(b) the Brophy/Gillespie Great Orchestras subscription series

(c) the International Artists subscription series

At the Irvine Barclay Theatre

Co-presented by the Laguna Chamber Music Society

Date Artists Thur., Oct. 15, 8 p.m. Emerson String Quartet Wed., Nov. 4, 8 p.m. Guarneri String Quartet Tue., Dec. 8, 8 p.m. Angeles Quartet Carol Wincenc, flute Fri., Jan. 22, 8 p.m. Colorado Quartet Santiago Rodriguez, piano Mon., March 1, 8 p.m. Borodin Trio Tue., April 6, 1993, 8 p.m. The Wallace Collection