Batiquitos Festival’s Administrative Chief Resigns

Another member of the beleaguered Batiquitos Festival staff, administrative director Catherine Messiere, resigned Thursday. Messiere had replaced former director Kimberly Fox, who resigned from the festival in March. Both cited difficulties with artistic director Michael Tseitlin as their reason for leaving.

As the cash-short Carlsbad festival and institute attempted to cope with the week’s fiscal crises and loss of institute faculty members, the board of directors committed itself to completing the five-week schedule of concerts and classes, which will conclude July 23.

Tonight’s concert at the Sammis Pavilion will not feature Richard Strauss’ tone poem, “Also Sprach Zarathustra,” but will substitute Dvorak’s Eighth Symphony. Pianist Gary Graffman will play the Ravel “Piano Concerto for the Left Hand” and Russian conductor Leonid Grin will lead the festival orchestra.