The Minnesota Orchestra's annual Viennese Sommerfest has had to cancel several concerts next week over safety concerns related to an animal-genetics conference that authorities believe may bring violent protestors.

Police and other law enforcement agencies in Minneapolis are taking added precautions, fearing the worst as the biennial International Society for Animal Genetics conference comes to town Saturday through Wednesday. The group will be meeting near Orchestra Hall, where Sommerfest takes place.

"Basically, we're doing it as a public-safety precaution," orchestra spokesperson Gwen Pappas said. "We've been in consultation with the Minneapolis Police Department, and no one really knows what to expect, but we've had several meetings with them and decided to cancel the three concerts."

The three shows that are being canceled are the Mozart Marathon on Sunday, a "Piano Spectacular" on Monday and a performance of works by Mozart and Haydn on Tuesday. Saturday evening's performance, a Mozart and Tchaikovsky show, will go on as scheduled.

"We're calling subscribers and exchanging the tickets for other performances. Presumably, there are some people we haven't been able to reach, but if they call the box office we'll take care of them," Pappas added.

The genetics conference will bring close to 600 international scientists to town, where they will be discussing gene mapping of farm and other domesticated animals.

As for the protestors, no one is quite sure how many, if any, will appear. "[We've] heard everything from 100 to a couple thousand," Minneapolis Police Department spokesperson Cyndi Montgomery told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. Nevertheless, city officials are poised for a repeat of last year's World Trade Organization protests in Seattle, where riots broke out.

"We're hoping nothing happens and that the protests are peaceful. But as long as there was any question that there was we decided to err on the side of caution," Pappas said.

Sommerfest organizers will be dismantling the open-air Marketplatz, a popular feature of the festival where visitors can stroll about and listen to music, eat Viennese food and watch street performers.

"We don't exactly know what the financial ramifications will be at this point, but we will be taking down the Marketplatz, too," Pappas said. "But our first concern is keeping our patrons well away from any trouble. We're trying to be careful not to overblow the issue because it might be very peaceful."

Spokespersons for the International Society for Animal Genetics, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and the Animal Rights Coalition were all unavailable for comment.

The Viennese Sommerfest is celebrating its 21st year and was founded by then-Music Director Leonard Slatkin. It squeezes 25 performances into 25 days, and highlights this year include the U.S. professional premiere of a reconstructed Mozart concerto. The festival continues through Aug. 5.