PERFORMING ARTS: CLASSICAL MUSIC, DANCE, OPERA : Gearing Up for Summer Happenings

Amid winter’s adversities, one likes to recall how soon the warmer, sunnier seasons will arrive, bringing outdoor as well as indoor music to our ears. Three reminders:

* At Santa Fe Opera, the summer company’s 40th season offers five operas from June 28-Aug. 24: new productions of Puccini’s “Madama Butterfly,” Stravinsky’s “The Rake’s Progress” and Richard Strauss’ “Daphne”; a revival of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni”; and the premiere of Tobias Picker’s “Emmeline,” based on Judith Rossner’s novel.

The season opens and closes with “Madama Butterfly,” conducted by General Director John Crosby, staged by John Copley, with Maria Spacagna in the title role. “Don Giovanni,” with Dwayne Croft as the protagonist, will be given 11 times through Aug. 23; Richard Bradshaw conducts. A new “Rake’s Progress” offers principals Richard Croft, Sylvia McNair and Richard Cowan and scenic design by Bruno Schwengl. Kenneth Montgomery conducts.

Crosby conducts the new “Daphne,” with scenic and costume design by Carl Friedrich Oberle; Janice Watson makes her Santa Fe debut in the title role.

Picker is the 41-year old composer of “Emmeline”; this is his first opera, one of three commissions to young Americans from the Santa Fe company. It will be staged by Francesca Zambello, conducted by George Manahan, with scenic designs by Robert Israel and costume designs by Dunya Ramicova. The first of three performances is set for July 27. In the cast will be Patricia Racette, Russell Braun, Josepha Gayer (in their Santa Fe debuts), Herbert Perry and Kevin Langan.

* In Charleston, S.C., the Spoleto Festival U.S.A. continues in 1996 with a lineup comparable to that of 1995’s: 110 performances of 41 programs.

General Manager Nigel Redden returns this year to the post he left in 1991 in a power struggle with festival founder Gian Carlo Menotti, who himself then left in 1993. International troupes scheduled in the May 24-June 9 schedule include Ballet du Rhin and Compagnie Ebene from France, the percussion ensemble Koko from Africa and the Mark Morris Dance Group. Operatic offerings include Janacek’s “The Excursions of Mr. Broucek” and Verdi’s “Falstaff.” Choreographer Susan Marshall and composer Philip Glass will present the U.S. premiere of their “Les Enfants Terribles.” In addition, there will be theater, jazz and chamber music.

* In Irvine, the Pacific Symphony will give its ninth annual summer series at the Irvine Meadows Amphitheatre. David Bishop is guest conductor July 4 with an American program, fireworks and vocal soloists Jubilant Sykes and Jason Graae.

Pacific Symphony Music Director Carl St.Clair leads the July 20 event with pianist Alain Lefevre playing the “Emperor” Concerto on a Beethoven concert. St.Clair also conducts the Mozart program Aug. 10, when pianist Xiang-Dong Kong is soloist in the “Coronation” Concerto. On Aug. 24, St.Clair leads a mixed program, including works by Shostakovich, Tartini and Respighi.

Pascal Verrot is podium guest for the Sept. 7 closing event, when Levon Ambartsumian plays the Violin Concerto on a Tchaikovsky program and the season ends with fireworks.