SUMMER SIZZLES : CLASSICAL MUSIC and DANCE : Ballet Events Give a Kick to Summer Concert Fare : A Guide to what’s Hot in Orange County

The heat is on in more ways than one for local arts and entertainment this summer. The new Anaheim Arena will open, but before the Mighty Ducks inaugurate professional hockey in the county, such country and pop stars as Wyonna Judd, Alan Jackson and Barry Manilow will try out the area’s newest concert facility. Shakespeare abounds, indoors and out; Mikhail Baryshnikov dances in Costa Mesa; those classic hot rods and twisted underground comics from the ‘50s and ‘60s will be the subject of a major exhibition at the Laguna Art Museum, and fireworks and violins will mix once again under the stars at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre.

The Complete Schedule

What’s happing this summer in Orange County, plus our critics pick the most noteworthy events.

Two major dance events raise the summer offerings above the mundane.

Mikhail Baryshnikov will appear Aug. 5-7 with the White Oak Dance Project at the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa. Also at the center, the Joffrey Ballet will dance Gerald Arpino’s production of “Billboards,” a full-evening work set by four choreographers to music by rock star Prince. Dates are July 27 and 28.

White Oak is a collaborative venture between Baryshnikov and dancer-choreographer Mark Morris. “Billboards” is Prince’s first musical venture into the ballet world.

Companies of interest a little closer to home include Anthony Shay’s AVAZ International Dance Theatre from Los Angeles, presenting “An Evening of Iranian Dance and Music” on June 6 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Also, Laguna Beach-based Ballet Pacifica will offer a works-in-progress concert, showing the results of the company’s third annual summer Choreographic Project, on July 31 at South Coast Repertory in Costa Mesa. The project allows guest choreographers selected from around the country to create works.

Other summer music events settle into a comfortable routine.

The Pacific Symphony opens its five-concert outdoor series at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre on July 4 with, as usual, a pops program and fireworks. The season ends traditionally with a Tchaikovsky program and fireworks on Sept. 25. Both programs will be led by guest conductors--Richard Kaufman in July, Samuel Wong in September.

Pacific music director Carl St.Clair will conduct Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” on July 24. (The same program will be offered at Pearson Park in Anaheim on July 25.)

The Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival enters its 13th consecutive year on June 6 with a program of Bach, Couperin and other composers at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. The festival, conducted by founder Burton Karson, continues on June 7 and 13 at the church, and, as usual, moves to the Sherman Library and Gardens for concerts on June 9 and 11.

A star (*) denotes a show of special interest.

The Joffrey Ballet:

* The Joffrey will dance Gerald Arpino’s production of “Billboards,” a full-evening work set by four choreographers to music by Prince on July 27-29 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Curtain: 8 p.m. daily. $18 to $48. (714) 556-2787.

The White Oak Dance Project:

* Mikhail Baryshnikov’s company will perform Aug. 5-7 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Curtain: 8 p.m. daily. $14 to $45. (714) 556-2787.

Pacific Symphony:

Carl St.Clair will conduct music by Mozart, Beethoven and Strauss on June 2, 3 at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Ealynn Voss will be the soprano soloist. Curtain: 8 p.m. $13 to $37.

Conductor Richard Kaufman will open the summer series at Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre, 8808 Irvine Center Drive, Irvine, on July 4 at 8 p.m. with a program of popular music by American composers. The concert will end with fireworks. $10 to $46.

* St.Clair will conduct the orchestra and Pacific Chorale in Beethoven’s Symphony No. 9 and Leonard Bernstein’s “Chichester Psalms” on July 24 at Irvine Meadows. Curtain: 8 p.m. $10 to $46. The program will be repeated July 25 in Pearson Park, Harbor Boulevard and Cypress Avenue, Anaheim. Curtain: 7 p.m. $12.

St.Clair conducts works by Rachmaninoff, Shostakovich and William Kraft on Aug. 14 at Irvine Meadows. Benjamin Pasternack will be the piano soloist. Curtain: 8 p.m. $10 to $46.

George Cleve conducts a Mozart program on Sept. 4 at Irvine Meadows. Seung-Un Ha will be soloist in the Piano Concerto No. 25. Curtain: 8 p.m. $10 to $46.

Samuel Wong leads the annual Tchaikovsky program on Sept. 25 at Irvine Meadows. Cellist Daniel Gaisford will be the soloist in the “Rococo Variations.” $10 to $46. (714) 755-5799.

AVAZ International Dance Theatre:

* Anthony Shay’s company Will perform “An Evening of Iranian Dance and Music” on June 6 at 7 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. $10 to $20. (714) 854-4646.

Los Angeles Chamber Ballet:

* The Los Angeles Chamber Ballet will dance a to-be-announced program on Friday, July 30, at 8 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Tickets: TBA. (714) 854-4646.

Corona del Mar Baroque Music Festival:

The 13th annual event opens June 6 with a program of concertos by Bach, Couperin, Telemann and other composers at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church, 3233 Pacific View Drive, Corona del Mar. Curtain: 4 p.m. $20.

Organist Robert Bates and violinist Robin Olson will play works by Bach, Buxtahude, Pachelbel, Leclair and other composers on June 7 at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. Curtain: 8 p.m. $10.

A program of cantatas and instrumental works will be offered June 9 at the Sherman Library and Gardens, 2345 E. Coast Highway, Corona del Mar. Soprano Amy Kane Jarman and baritone Christopher Lindbloom will be the soloists. Curtain: 8 p.m. $25.

Harpsichordist Malcolm Hamilton, oboist Donald Leake and bassoonist William Wood play works by Handel and other composers play June 11 at 8 p.m. at the Sherman Library and Gardens. $25.

The festival concludes with a choral program of works by Bach and Carissimi on June 13 at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church. Curtain: 4 p.m. $20. (714) 760-7887.

Ballet Pacifica:

The troupe will dance the premiere performances of Molly Lynch’s “Romeo and Juliet: A Dance Suite” (to music by Prokofiev) and Monica Levy’s “Glass” (music by Morton Subotnick) on June 4 (8 p.m.) and June 5 (curtain: 2:30 and 8 p.m.) at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. The program also will include Deborah Appleton’s “Fantacia.” $15. (714) 854-4646.

* The company’s Choreographic Project ’93 will present works-in-progress on Saturday, July 31, at 8 p.m. at South Coast Repertory, 655 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. $5. (714) 642-9275.

Saddleback Master Chorale:

* Alvin Brightbill will lead the Saddleback Master Chorale and the Orange County Chamber Orchestra in Rossini’s Stabat Mater and Faure’s Requiem on June 6 at Lake Hills Community Church, 23331 Moulton Parkway, Laguna Hills. Curtain: 3 p.m. $15. (714) 582-4656.

Brockus Project Dance Company:

Modern and jazz dance concerts on Saturday and Sunday at Los Alamitos High School, 3591 Cerritos Ave., Los Alamitos. Curtain: 7:30 p.m. $4 to $8. (714) 962-1329.

UC Irvine Symphony:

Zelman Bokser conducts works by Wagner, Mahler and Weber on June 11-12 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. David Shifrin will be the clarinet soloist. Curtain: 8 p.m. $8. (714) 854-4646.

Orange County Light Opera:

The company presents a Sigmund Romberg revue entitled “Lovely Ladies and Stouthearted Men,” at 8 p.m. June 11, 12 and 26, and at 2:30 p.m. June 13 and 27 at the Camino Real Playhouse, 31776 El Camino Read, San Juan Capistrano. Also June 18, 19 at 8 p.m. at the Westminster Community Theater, 7272 Maple Ave., Westminster. $10. (714) 261-7870.

Irvine School of Dance:

An annual recital of ballet, jazz and tap dance performed in groups and by soloists on June 13 at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Curtain: 1 and 5 p.m. $7. (714) 854-4646.

Southwest Chamber Music Society:

The Southwest Chamber Music Society will close its 1992-93 season with music by Honegger, Poulenc and Schoenberg on June 17 at Bertea Hall, Chapman University, 333 N. Glassell St., Orange. Curtain: 8 p.m. $7 to $14. (800) 726-7147.

Musica Angelica:

A chamber ensemble of strings will play concerti grossi and overtures by Handel, Corelli, Muffat and Telemann on June 19 at the First Christian Church of Irvine, 4849 Alton Parkway. Curtain: 8 p.m. Tickets: TBA. (310) 838-3496.

Hector Olivera:

The organist will give a recital on July 9 at 8:15 p.m. at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St., Garden Grove. The program will be announced. $8. (714) 971-4000.

The Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles:

The group will sing a program (to be announced) on July 11 at 3 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Tickets: TBA. (714) 854-4646.

Cypress Pops Orchestra:

John E. Hall will conduct free concerts on July 17, Aug. 14 and Sept. 11 at 6 p.m. on the Cypress Civic Center Green, 5275 Orange Ave., Cypress. (714) 527-0964.

Mikael Wahlin

The organist will play a recital on July 23 at 8:15 p.m. at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St., Garden Grove. The program will be announced. $8. (714) 971-4000.

Ballet Montmartre:

The troupe will dance “Open Audition” on July 24 at 8 p.m. at the Irvine Barclay Theatre, 4242 Campus Drive, Irvine. Tickets: TBA. (714) 854-4646.

Massimo Nosetti:

The organist will give a recital on Aug. 13 at 8:15 p.m. at the Crystal Cathedral, 12141 Lewis St., Garden Grove. The program will be announced. $8. (714) 971-4000.