SCENE OF THE 'GRIMES' SCHLESINGER PUTS HIS CAMERA ASIDE TO DIRECT AN L.A. OPERA PRODUCTION.

Byline: Evan Henerson Staff Writer

In any creative endeavor, plans can fall through as quickly as they are assembled. But this much has always been certain: L.A. Opera had a production with John Schlesinger's name on it. All that needed to be determined was which opera, when and with whom.

A collaboration between Oscar-winning film director Schlesinger, tenor Placido Domingo and the L.A. Opera company has been in development for a couple of years, well before Domingo became the company's artistic director. The two men have worked together twice before, with Schlesinger directing the tenor in ``Tales of Hoffmann'' at the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, and again in ``The Masked Ball'' at the Salzburg Festival. Schlesinger even credits Domingo with inspiring him to try his hand at opera in the first place.

Two years ago, Schlesinger was prepared to direct Verdi's ``La Traviata'' for L.A. Opera, but Domingo - eyeing a role to add to his repertoire - suggested Benjamin Britten's 1945 opera ``Peter Grimes.''

So ``Traviata'' was out and ``Grimes'' was in, which suited Schlesinger perfectly. ``I thought it was a wonderful idea,'' the 74-year-old London-born director said. ``I signed on there and then.''

Then the picture shifted again. This time it was ``Grimes'' still in, Domingo out, production on hold.

``Placido was extremely busy,'' Schlesinger said. ``I think he could see a red light blinking.''

``He had no problems with the music. The problems were emotional and intellectual,'' said Edgar Baitzel, L.A. Opera's director of artistic administration. ``He felt he had no key to open this character.''

Stalled but never dead, L.A. Opera's production of ``Peter Grimes'' opens tonight at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion with British tenor Philip Langridge singing the title role. It's the company's first ``Grimes'' and its second recent foray into Britten following the very successful production of ``Billy Budd,'' which closed the 1999-2000 season.

``I know people throw up their hands when they hear the name Britten,'' says Schlesinger. ``I've always found this to be a very accessible opera. There's enough evidence to know that there's something to enjoy even though it's a dark story. It's not a barrel of laughs.''

This is a co-production with the famed La Scala in Milan, where it played first. And Schlesinger's recollections of his ``Grimes'' stint in Italy aren't entirely favorable.

``The union rules with the chorus - when they could sing and when they couldn't - I can't even remember what all those regulations were but it was quite annoying,'' he said. ``I can't say it was the most enjoyable of experiences.''

No complaints from the action at the Dorothy Chandler, however. And even though he won't be working with Domingo this time around, Schlesinger is more than pleased with Langridge's work. The director is also happy to be studying a character of who seems to fit snugly in the rogues gallery of men and women brought to life in Schlesinger projects.

Suspected of murdering two apprentices, Grimes, a fisherman, is determined to stay in the village of Aldeburgh even if it means being an outcast.

``I think he's extremely paranoid,'' Schlesinger says of the character. ``He lives in a sort of fantasy world, which always interests me. He may be violent and quixotic with sudden bursts of energy and poeticism. You don't know quite what to expect from him.''

Chances are Schlesinger has found occasion to use that description before. Daulton Lee (played by Sean Penn), who sold American military secrets to the KGB in ``The Falcon and the Snowman,'' fits the description. So does Carter Hays, the sociopathic tenant played by Michael Keaton in ``Pacific Heights'' and especially Ratso Rizzo, ``Midnight Cowboy's'' derelict brought to life by Dustin Hoffman.

``Most of my film characters have been outsiders,'' the director agrees, ``struggling in some way or other with acceptance.''

Even his first attempt at directing Shakespeare - before concluding that the Bard ``is not quite my bag'' - was a production of the rarely staged ``Timon of Athens'' at Stratford-Upon-Avon. The title character in that cheery little number is as misanthropic a fellow as ever was written.

But even when he doesn't have a paranoid, quixotic character to investigate, as long as he's working in opera, Schlesinger proclaims to be content. Terrified, but content.

A longtime lover of the genre, he came to opera late in life, more than 15 years after directing his first film, ``Terminus'' in 1961. Several years ago, in yet another project that didn't materialize, Schlesinger was going to make his opera directing debut with Domingo singing in ``Carmen,'' but a film commitment kept it from happening.

``Film always came first,'' he said. ``Placido said, 'You really should do an opera, because you'll regret it if you don't. You need to put it ahead of a film commitment.' Which I did with 'Tales of Hoffman.' ''

And opera audiences should be thankful that Schlesinger finally put aside his camera, says Baitzel. Noted film directors - such as Bruce Beresford, Franco Zeffirelli and Herbert Ross - are crossing over into opera with a certain regularity, but not always with great success.

``A lot of them are big names, but there are some who really only bring their big names and not something new to the opera,'' says Baitzel. ``Schlesinger has great skills. If he hadn't had such a huge career in the film business and concentrated from the very beginning as an opera director, I think he would have been among the greatest.''

``PETER GRIMES''

Where: Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, 135 N. Grand Ave., Los Angeles.

When: 7:30 tonight, Tuesday, Oct. 27, Oct. 29 and Nov. 1; 1 p.m. Saturday and Nov. 4.

Tickets: $28 to $148. Call [phone] or [phone].

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Photo:

Director John Schlesinger, center, works with actors during a rehearsal of ``Peter Grimes'' at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion.

Phil McCarten/Staff Photographer