Arts and entertainment reports from The Times, national and international news services and the nation’s press.

TELEVISION

Whole Lotta ‘Seinfeld’: KTLA-TV Channel 5, which airs “Seinfeld” repeats in syndication weekdays at 7:30 p.m., will put on its own farewell to the departing NBC series by airing a countdown next month of the “Top 10 Favorite Seinfeld Episodes,” as determined by Internet voters. The episodes, in ascending order, are “The Outing” (May 7), “The Parking Garage” (May 8), “The Marine Biologist” (May 11), “The Opposite” (May 12), “The Bubble Boy” (May 13), “The Hamptons” (May 14), “The Pick” (May 15), “The Junior Mint” (May 18), “The Soup Nazi” (May 20) and “The Contest” (May 20). In addition, KTLA has scheduled a two-hour block of syndicated “Seinfelds” before the NBC series finale on May 14, with the two-part “The Boyfriend,” plus “The Chicken Roaster” and “The Hamptons” airing from 6 to 8 p.m. And starting next week, KTLA will air seven newer episodes never before seen in syndication, including “The English Patient” (on Tuesday), “The Yada Yada” (on Thursday) and “The Muffin Tops” (May 4).

POP/ROCK

Happy Birthday, HOB: Sunset Boulevard’s House of Blues will celebrate its fourth anniversary with a series of high-profile shows starting next week. “Godfather of Soul” James Brown will play Monday and Tuesday, with Jim Belushi and the Sacred Hearts band opening Tuesday’s show. Other anniversary concerts include guitar legend Les Paul--with guest performers Joe Walsh, Stephen Stills, Dave Edmunds, Steve Vai, Jeff “Skunk” Baxter and Slash--on Wednesday; blues men John Lee Hooker and John Mayall on Thursday; former Concrete Blonde singer Johnette Napolitano on Friday; and salsa star Celia Cruz next Saturday. The anniversary series will close on May 11 and 12 with shows by songstress Natalie Cole.

‘At Budokan,’ Again: The band Cheap Trick will revisit its multi-platinum 1970s live album, “At Budokan,” by performing the identical set list performed in Japan at the album’s recording on April 28, 1978. The 20th anniversary concert, at San Francisco’s Fillmore Auditorium, will be cyber-cast over the Internet at 8:45 p.m. Tuesday (at https://www.liveconcerts.com). Meanwhile, Epic/Legacy Records re-releases the album on Tuesday as “At Budokan: The Complete Concert,” a two-CD set including previously unreleased outtakes. The band also plays a sold-out show at Los Angeles’ Roxy on Monday, followed by a midnight appearance at Tower Records Sunset.

Dove Winners: Steven Curtis Chapman received five Dove Awards, including top songwriter and male vocalist, during the annual gospel music awards in Nashville Thursday night. Singer Rich Mullins, killed seven months ago at age 41 in a car crash, was named artist of the year. Crossover band Jars of Clay was named best group. Whitney Houston--who had boycotted this year’s Grammy Awards because her “The Preacher’s Wife” album was nominated in the R&B; category and not gospel--won the award for traditional gospel recorded song for “I Go to the Rock.”

ART

NYC Backs MOMA: New York City will give $65 million to the Museum of Modern Art to help pay for its planned expansion and renovation, Mayor Rudolph Giuliani announced this week. The money--to be allocated over three years--is one-tenth of the $650 million the museum needs for its expansion, which is slated to be completed in 2004. MOMA draws more than 1.5 million tourists a year, with that number expected to rise significantly with the expanded facilities. The expansion, by architect Yoshio Taniguchi, will roughly double the museum’s gallery space and also includes an office complex, educational facility, restaurants and a renovated sculpture garden. David Rockefeller, the museum’s chairman emeritus, said MOMA has raised about $200 million for the project so far.

QUICK TAKES

After an interruption of nearly a quarter century, Palermo’s Massimo Theater, the Sicilian capital’s pride and joy, opened this week for a full opera season. The theater was shut down in 1974 for what was supposed to be a brief period to improve the electrical system and do other repairs. But political squabbling and bureaucratic impasses prevented completion of the work until now. . . . Singer and AIDS activist Elton John will become the first major entertainment figure to participate in the CNN World Report Conference, an annual gathering of 200 journalists from around the world, taking place in Atlanta May 6 to 9. John--founder of the charitable Elton John AIDS Foundation--will join a May 7 panel of experts on the global AIDS crisis and will also perform several songs. . . . Radio station KCSN-FM (88.5) will air four hours of Grateful Dead music this weekend as part of the station’s membership drive, with separate editions of “The Grateful Dead Hour” airing at both 7 and 10 p.m. tonight and Sunday. . . . Anchor Matt Lauer will broadcast from five undisclosed locations around the world on next week’s “Today” show. Three of those appearances will mark the first American television transmissions ever from the sites. NBC says that even “Today” co-host Katie Couric won’t know until each morning’s show where Lauer is going to be. . . . Boy George and his ‘80s band Culture Club will reunite for a U.S. concert tour this summer, kicking off July 23 in Atlanta, although West Coast dates have not yet been announced. The tour will mark the group’s first live performances in 13 years.