Costa Mesa Will Be Midler’s First Stop in West Coast Tour

It sounds divine, maybe miraculous: a Bette Midler concert for only $75, tops.

Midler will launch a West Coast tour at the Orange County Performing Arts Center on Dec. 3 and 4. Tickets go on sale Sunday.

The last time the Divine Miss M played in Orange County, at Irvine Meadows in 1994, the best seats in the house were more than $100. In L.A., they were going for $150.

How come she chose O.C. as her first stop? “Our offer to have her appear here worked out with when the tour would begin,” said Judy Morr, the center’s director of programming. “We’ve had regular contact with her agent for some time to bring her in. This all really happened within the last couple of days.”

The rest of the tour is to be announced. But Midler’s agent said Thursday that the singer is expected to make 11 stops, including Los Angeles, the Bay Area, Las Vegas, Seattle and Phoenix. Only the Costa Mesa dates have been confirmed.

Midler, a Grammy winner who started as a go-go dancer in New Jersey and rocketed to fame in 1973, has placed almost a dozen albums in the top 40. She also has a Tony, an Emmy, a Golden Globe and two Oscar nominations. Her current movie, “The First Wives Club,” in which she co-stars with Diane Keaton and Goldie Hawn, was the nation’s top grossing movie when it opened six weeks ago and still is in the top five.

* Bette Midler sings Dec. 3 and 4 at 8 p.m. at the Orange County Performing Arts Center, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Tickets, $45-$75, go on sale Sunday at the center box office. (714) 740-78778.