BIG-NAME ARTISTS ON L.A. PHIL'S '97-'98 ROSTER.

Perennial Grammy Award-winning composer Pierre Boulez will guest conduct the Los Angeles Philharmonic for two weeks next year as part of the orchestra's 1997-98 season.

But Boulez isn't the only big name on the schedule. A roster of artists, including soprano Dawn Upshaw, pianists Alfred Brendel and Andre Watts, and violinists Midori and Anne-Sophie Mutter, are booked for recitals.

Details of the L.A. Philharmonic's eclectic 79th season were announced Tuesday. Most of the concerts will be performed at the Music Center.

In his sixth year at the helm of the Philharmonic, music director Esa-Pekka Salonen will conduct 12 weeks of subscription concerts. His 1997-98 programs include the inauguration of a multi-season exploration of Haydn symphonies with performances of four of the composer's ``Sturm und Drang'' works.

Also on Salonen's schedule are Mahler symphonies and works by Beethoven, Mendelssohn, Nielsen and Schumann. Eight American composers will also be represented under Salonen: John Adams, Samuel Barber, Leonard Bernstein, Aaron Copland, Lukas Foss, Jerry Goldsmith, David Newman and John Williams.

During the 30-week season, which runs from Oct. 9, 1997, through May 24, 1998, Salonen will conduct the world premieres of Philharmonic commissions by Italian composer Franco Donatoni and Finnish composer Magnus Lindberg.

Salonen will also lead the first installment of ``Filmharmonic,'' an unusual film-music project that involves computer-generated imagery inspired by ``Tales From 1001 Nights.''

Spring 1998 will see several programs devoted to the innovative Hungarian composer Gyorgy Ligeti, who turns 75 next year. Boulez will conduct one of the Ligeti concerts.

Guest conductors also include Roger Norrington, Lawrence Foster, Mark Elder, Franz Welser-Most, Mark Wigglesworth and others.

For a brochure detailing the L.A. Philharmonic's 1997-98 season, call [phone].

CAPTION(S):

Photo

Photo: Pierre Boulez

Two-week guest conductor