Esther Wachtell

Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who recently reached a $200,000 resignation agreement, repeatedly asked the nonprofit performing arts center to reimburse her for political contributions, according to records and interviews. Wachtell's former vice president said he reimbursed her with center funds, but Wachtell denied the allegation. From 1988 to 1991, Wachtell wrote memos seeking repayment of $4,000 in donations to politicians including Gov.

I read your article "Music Center Head Sought Payment for Political Gifts" (April 26) with utter amazement and disbelief. For many years San Fernando Valley arts and cultural groups have received a disproportionate and inequitable share of city and county cultural and arts funds. It would appear that Esther Wachtell and at least one other high-level official of the Music Center knew how to influence elected officials to increase public funds for a downtown nonprofit organization--the Music Center.

I read your article "Music Center Head Sought Payment for Political Gifts" (April 26) with utter amazement and disbelief. For many years San Fernando Valley arts and cultural groups have received a disproportionate and inequitable share of city and county cultural and arts funds. It would appear that Esther Wachtell and at least one other high-level official of the Music Center knew how to influence elected officials to increase public funds for a downtown nonprofit organization--the Music Center.

Many patrons of the Los Angeles Music Center had hoped that the announcement of President Esther Wachtell's resignation in December would ease internal turmoil, improve fund raising and signal a time of healing. But her presence has remained controversial. Some of her supporters mounted a short-lived petition drive to keep her as president and chief fund-raiser of the Music Center. And others came to her defense. Maurice J.

Esther Wachtell, who started as a volunteer stuffing "buck bags" and rose through a number of volunteer and then professional positions, will become president of the Music Center on June 1--the only woman to hold such a post at a major performing arts complex. F. Daniel Frost, chairman of the Music Center Board of Governors, announced her election in a statement released Tuesday, citing Wachtell's longtime association with the Music Center. ". . .

Friends and supporters of the Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens came home Friday night. And were they glad they did. Everyone agreed that it hadn't been the same last year when the annual Christmas party for trustees and major donors was held in another hall.

On The night of the announcement of her election as president of the Music Center on April 26, Esther Wachtell was showing the place to executives of important philanthropies who were in Los Angeles for a Council on Foundations convention.

There are about 6,000 volunteers and 35 organizations collecting funds to supplement Music Center box-office receipts. One example is the 650 women who make up the Blue Ribbon support group. Each makes an annual contribution of at least $1,500 and "most give far more than that," said Nancy Livingston, the group's chairman, adding that the group has already surpassed its $1.5-million goal for this fiscal year. Things are changing on the fund-raising front.

Many patrons of the Los Angeles Music Center had hoped that the announcement of President Esther Wachtell's resignation in December would ease internal turmoil, improve fund raising and signal a time of healing. But her presence has remained controversial. Some of her supporters mounted a short-lived petition drive to keep her as president and chief fund-raiser of the Music Center. And others came to her defense. Maurice J.

The beleaguered president of The Music Center of Los Angeles County said Wednesday she will resign next July but, under a negotiated agreement, will serve as a paid consultant and retain a position on the center's governing board. "I just decided I could continue to serve the Music Center . . . in other ways," said Esther Wachtell, who has headed fund raising for the downtown performing arts complex for five years.

Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who recently reached a $200,000 resignation agreement, repeatedly asked the nonprofit performing arts center to reimburse her for political contributions, according to records and interviews. Wachtell's former vice president said he reimbursed her with center funds, but Wachtell denied the allegation. From 1988 to 1991, Wachtell wrote memos seeking repayment of $4,000 in donations to politicians including Gov.

The beleaguered president of The Music Center of Los Angeles County said Wednesday she will resign next July but, under a negotiated agreement, will serve as a paid consultant and retain a position on the center's governing board. "I just decided I could continue to serve the Music Center . . . in other ways," said Esther Wachtell, who has headed fund raising for the downtown performing arts complex for five years.

As part of a secret settlement, the Los Angeles Music Center paid at least $150,000 in salary and benefits to a former vice president after he alleged that he was made the scapegoat for the center's embarrassing financial problems. The former executive, James B. Black, told The Times that those financial difficulties largely resulted from lavish spending by Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who he said ignored his repeated warnings about overspending.

At a new resort atop the red lava cliffs of Lanai, Hawaii, dozens of wealthy Southern California arts patrons congregated last June for four days of dining and dancing, golf and boating. The excursion was organized as the capstone of the Los Angeles Music Center's annual fund-raising drive--and the guests were there, at $20,000 a couple, to contribute their share.

On The night of the announcement of her election as president of the Music Center on April 26, Esther Wachtell was showing the place to executives of important philanthropies who were in Los Angeles for a Council on Foundations convention.

Esther Wachtell, who started as a volunteer stuffing "buck bags" and rose through a number of volunteer and then professional positions, will become president of the Music Center on June 1--the only woman to hold such a post at a major performing arts complex. F. Daniel Frost, chairman of the Music Center Board of Governors, announced her election in a statement released Tuesday, citing Wachtell's longtime association with the Music Center. ". . .

At a new resort atop the red lava cliffs of Lanai, Hawaii, dozens of wealthy Southern California arts patrons congregated last June for four days of dining and dancing, golf and boating. The excursion was organized as the capstone of the Los Angeles Music Center's annual fund-raising drive--and the guests were there, at $20,000 a couple, to contribute their share.

As part of a secret settlement, the Los Angeles Music Center paid at least $150,000 in salary and benefits to a former vice president after he alleged that he was made the scapegoat for the center's embarrassing financial problems. The former executive, James B. Black, told The Times that those financial difficulties largely resulted from lavish spending by Music Center President Esther Wachtell, who he said ignored his repeated warnings about overspending.

There are about 6,000 volunteers and 35 organizations collecting funds to supplement Music Center box-office receipts. One example is the 650 women who make up the Blue Ribbon support group. Each makes an annual contribution of at least $1,500 and "most give far more than that," said Nancy Livingston, the group's chairman, adding that the group has already surpassed its $1.5-million goal for this fiscal year. Things are changing on the fund-raising front.

Friends and supporters of the Huntington Library Art Collections and Botanical Gardens came home Friday night. And were they glad they did. Everyone agreed that it hadn't been the same last year when the annual Christmas party for trustees and major donors was held in another hall.