What Is Behind Push for Control?

What’s really going on behind the increasingly contentious relationship between the Orange County Performing Arts Center and one of its most important tenants, the Orange County Philharmonic Society?

The center claims a right to have a say in what the Philharmonic Society books because it wants “to carefully balance the programming needs of all presenters.”

It has chosen to assert this “right” at a time when the Philharmonic Society has been seeking an extension of credit for expenses resulting from this season’s programs.

Last week, the center board agreed--after months of delaying--to extend the credit. In doing so, incoming board president Thomas Nielsen said, the center is “open to OCPS continuing its traditional role of presenting quality classical music attractions, if it can restore the necessary financial stability to do so without requiring the center to continue risking funds contributed for its own programs.”

But at the same time, the center has required that the society abandon potentially profit-making attractions. An ethnic concert and dance series proposed by the society was approved by the center last week only on the condition that such a series never be proposed again.

In short: We want you to start making more money. Just don’t try it under our roof?