Area youngsters' imaginations will be transported Saturday to the Russian wilderness, where they will experience the adventure of "Peter and the Wolf," the first children's concert by the Harvard-Radcliffe Orchestra (HRO) in four years.

The orchestra will perform Prokofieff's famous piece along with standard concert works by Weber, Debussy, and Beethoven, said HRO President K. Chris Min '89.

The Boston Symphony Orchestra offers a children's series for some area students, said HRO conductor James D. Yannatos, a senior lecturer on music at Harvard. But he added that "in Cambridge there are no children's concerts as such. This is a way of filling a vacuum for kids who wouldn't have a chance to see a concert."

Organizers designed the show to be educational as well as entertaining, Min said. "I think that this kind of music is...ignored today. Classical music is overshadowed by popular music," he said.

"Hopefully, [this concert] will open up [the children's] ears and their eyes to something new," said Yannatos.

"Peter and the Wolf" is especially appealing to children because of its frightening moments and happy ending, Yannatos said.

A Pacifistic Prokofieff

In HRO's rendition, "the wolf is taken to the zoo" rather than being killed at the story's end, he said, calling the new twist an effort to be "pacifistic."

Robert J. Lurtsema, who hosts WGBH radio's Morning Pro Musica, will narrarate "Peter and the Wolf." The orchestra recorded the work with Lurtsema at its last children's concert in 1983.

Lurtsema is touring several states narrating various orchestral productions, such as "Babar the Elephant" and "Amadeus," he said.

"I get a special charge out of seeing how the kids react and how they get involved," Lurtsema said.

Yannatos said he would like HRO to do children's concerts more often. But the orchestra is strictly extracurricular, and members can rarely afford the time for special concerts, he said.

Invitations for the concert were extended to 90 area elementary and junior high schools, but orchestra leaders do not know how many of the students invited will actually attend. Min said.

Tickets for the 2 p.m. show will be $3 for adults and $2 for children under 12.