Mixed fiscal data at O.C. arts center

Although Opera Pacific is struggling to stay afloat, the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s three remaining resident companies see no imminent signs of disaster.

The Pacific Symphony, the county’s leading orchestra, hasn’t seen any falloff in donations, said president John Forsyte. It expects to make its $8-million fundraising nut for this season, including contributions that will allow it to expand its education programs. Income from subscription sales is down “but not unmanageable,” while single-concert purchases are coming in “way above expectations,” Forsyte said.

The Pacific Chorale actually is about to expand its educational offerings, reports president Kelly Ruggirello. With 160 singers -- 30 of them paid, the rest volunteers -- the group has widespread connections in the community that have helped keep attendance strong, she said. So far, donations have held up as well.

At the Philharmonic Society of Orange County, which imports touring classical and world music talent, executive director Dean Corey says that after a good start this season in ticket sales, “we noticed a real change when the stock market took its big nose dive. The phones were rather quiet.”

The job now, he said, is to persuade regular donors -- on whom the society relies for about half its $5-million budget -- that “you may not want to increase, but certainly don’t cut back.” The Philharmonic Society typically has operated in the black and has bounced back quickly from deficits.

And what about the music groups’ landlord, the Performing Arts Center?

The opera company’s failure means lost rental fees for OCPAC, opening a potential $300,000 to $400,000 hole in what center president Terrence Dwyer says was an already tight 2008-09 budget. Also, Dwyer said, there has been “some slowing down” in contributions and ticket sales since the stock market’s tumble. Plan A, he said, is to come up with “special initiatives” for raising about $10 million to cover the gap between projected earnings and this year’s operating costs.

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mike.boehm@latimes.com