From ‘Three Sopranos’ to ‘Pearl Harbor’

This weekend’s TV fare is a hodgepodge of musical specials and documentaries.

“The Three Sopranos,” airing tonight at 9 on KCET-TV Channel 28, features Kathleen Cassello, Kallen Esperian and Cynthia Lawrence performing excerpts from “La Boheme” and “Carmen.” The concert, taped last fall in Century City, was the brainchild of producer Tibor Rudas, the man behind the successful “Three Tenors” specials.

Today marks the 55th anniversary of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in Hawaii. The Discovery Channel commemorates the day that will live in infamy with “Pearl Harbor: Two Hours That Changed the World,’ airing at 8 p.m. and midnight. David Brinkley hosts the special, featuring survivors and participants from the United States and Japan.

The Learning Channel’s “Survival in the Sky,’ airing Sunday at 4 and 8 p.m., is a four-part documentary chronicling the history of airline disasters and the work of the National Transportation Safety Board.

The Disney Channel’s award-winning dramatic series “Avonlea” concludes its seven-season run Sunday at 9 p.m. The finale culminates with Felicity’s wedding, which is complicated by the return of a lost love.

Public Affairs: TODAY: Sen. Trent Lott (R-Miss.) guests on “Evans & Novak,” 2:30 p.m., repeats Sunday 7 a.m. CNN. . . .

Rep. Bill Thomas (R-Calif.) guests on “Capital Gang,” 4 p.m., 10:30 p.m. CNN. . . .

“Inside Politics Weekend” reports on Clinton’s foreign policy team, 4:30 p.m.; repeats 7:30 a.m. CNN. . . .

Walter Matthau guests on “Larry King Weekend,” 6 p.m. and 11 p.m., CNN. . . .

“The McLaughlin Group” airs at 6 p.m. (4). . . .

SUNDAY: “Pacesetters” discusses recent welfare reform legislation signed by President Clinton, 6 a.m. (5). . . .

Treasury Secretary Robert Rubin and Rep. John Kasich (R-Ohio) are guests on “Meet the Press,” 7 a.m. (4). . . .

“Face the Nation” focuses on the debate over same-sex marriages, 9 a.m. (2). . . .

The “Late Edition” guests are Sen. Pete Domenici (R-N.M.) and Sen. Daniel Moynihan (D-N.Y.), 9 a.m. CNN. . . .

“Fox News Sunday” discusses whether the GOP-controlled Congress is headed for confrontation or conciliation with the Clinton administration, 8 a.m. (11). . . .

“Bob Navarro’s Journal” talks about the Southland as a mega-city and future trends, 9:30 a.m. (2). . . .

The future of foreign policy is discussed with guests Samuel Berger, National Security Advisor designate; Sen. Richard Lugar (R-Ind.); and former Defense Secretary Casper Weinberger on “This Week,” 9:30 a.m. (7). . . .

“Life & Times” visits with Loretta Sanchez (D-Orange County), who defeated Bob Dornan, 10 a.m. (28). . . .

“60 Minutes” looks at chronic pain sufferers and painkillers,7 p.m. (2).

Specials and Movies: Rudolf Nureyev and Veronica Tennant star in the Tchaikovsky ballet “Swan Lake,” today at 3 p.m. and midnight on Bravo. . . .

Lifetime presents an “Intimate Portrait” on Vanessa Williams, Sunday at 8 p.m., followed by a performance by Williams in concert at 9 p.m.

Sports: Basketball--Kansas at UCLA, today, 12:30 p.m. (2). Football--Carolina Panthers at 49ers, Sunday, 1 p.m. (11).

For a complete list of sports events on TV, see the Sports Section.