Arts Center Opens Up to Ray Charles : Venues: The booking of the legendary R&B; singer/pianist marks another step in a plan to expand its programming.

In a step beyond the hall’s traditional boundaries, Orange County Performing Arts Center officials Tuesday announced that Ray Charles will perform there on June 9.

The renowned singer and pianist will be joined by the Ray Charles Orchestra and by his backup singers, the Raelettes. Jazz-blues singer Ernestine Anderson will open the show.

Charles has performed at the center once before, in a pops concert with the Pacific Symphony, but this is the first time he will play with his own band in a concert presented by the center itself.

Until a concert last year by Art Garfunkel, the center had shied away from pop acts of the post-World War II era. The Charles booking “reflects my desire to continue to expand programming somewhat,” said center president Tom Tomlinson. He maintained, however, that the concert is not really a departure, in that the center does offer an annual jazz series.

Indeed, Tomlinson said he wanted to offer Charles as part of the jazz series, but timing made that impossible, so the concert is being offered as a “stand-alone” event.

In a career spanning more than 40 years, Charles has served a variety of American musical forms including jazz but also blues, R&B;, gospel, pop, even country. He scored his 12th Grammy award last month for his recording of “A Song for You.”

Earlier this week, the center also announced a return engagement for magician David Copperfield, who will perform eight shows May 26 through 29.

Today, the center is expected to announce a weeklong run of a Broadway musical to be offered outside the regular Broadway series.

Tickets for the Charles concert, which will start at 8 p.m., range from $26 to $44; Copperfield tickets will be $19.50 to $35 with $7 discounts at matinees for children 12 and under. Both shows go on sale April 24. Information: (714) 556-2787.