Opera Pacific and Center announce seasons

-- Young Chang

While most of us are swinging into the second month of a new year,

folks in the theater and music world are looking forward to the fall,

which is when several of Newport-Mesa’s 2002-03 seasons start.

The Orange County Performing Arts Center announced its 2002-03 Concert

Series this week, listing a slew of concert ensembles and soloists to

begin gracing stages in November.

Opera Pacific recently announced that its 2002-03 season, which

features three new productions, will also open in November.

The Centers’s lineup includes the Guarneri String Quartet on Nov. 7;

the Emerson String Quartet Jan. 11, 2003; the Tokyo String Quartet with

pianist Max Levinson on Jan. 16, 2003; the Prazak Quartet on March 13,

2003; the Academy of Ancient Music with Andrew Manze on April 13, 2003;

and pianist Marc-Andre Hamelin on May 8, 2003. All performances will take

place in Founders Hall.

Opera Pacific’s 17th season will offer a mix of German and Italian

operas. Giacomo Puccini’s “La Boheme,” one of opera’s favorites, will

begin the season Nov. 5-10. Mozart’s “The Abduction from the Seraglio”

will follow Jan. 21 to 26, 2003. Richard Strauss’ “Salome” will be staged

Feb. 25 to March 2, 2003, and Giuseppe Verdi’s “Il Trovatore” will be

presented April 29 to May 4, 2003.

All performances will be held at the Orange County Performing Arts

Center.

Subscriptions to the Center’s Concert Series are $258. Information:

(714) 556-2787.

Season subscriptions for Opera Pacific range from $90 to $630.

Information: (800) 346-7372.