ARTS AND ENTERTAINMENT REPORTS FROM THE TIMES, NEWS SERVICES AND THE NATION’S PRESS.

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Disharmony at Boys Choir: The Vienna Boys’ Choir, a revered Austrian musical institution for five centuries, is in turmoil following the abrupt resignation of artistic director Agnes Grossmann, the daughter of Ferdinand Grossmann, who led the choir for more than two decades. Her departure in the midst of 500th anniversary celebrations has shed light on troubling aspects of the organization, including a punishing concert and academic schedule that some critics charge verges on child abuse. Fresh from a triumphant North American tour, Grossmann stormed out after the choir’s board of directors--composed of former choir boys resistant to tampering with tradition--rejected her appeal for reforms to ease the physical and emotional burdens on the under-14-years-old boys, each of whom is required to perform in as many as 100 concerts a year while pursuing a demanding course of musical and academic studies. Meanwhile, the choir’s president, Karl-Heinz Schenk, claims that Grossmann herself demanded too much from the boys and was also meddling in areas like the choir’s financing that had nothing to do with her job as artistic director. Grossmann, the first woman to hold the post, began her tenure two years ago by introducing girls to the choir’s school. While females are still barred from entering the actual choir to preserve its all-male sound, Grossmann envisioned the creation of a new mixed choir that would have a new sound and musical direction for the 21st century.

ART

Cathedral Gateway: Los Angeles sculptor Robert Graham has been commissioned to create the “Great Bronze Doors” for the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Los Angeles’ new cathedral, Cardinal Roger Mahony announced Monday. Graham’s works include the controversial “Olympic Gateway”--featuring two nude, headless athletes at the entrance to the Coliseum--for the 1984 Los Angeles Games. He also has been commissioned to depict President Franklin D. Roosevelt for a memorial in Washington. “The design and realization of the great doors of the Cathedral of Our Lady of the Angels in my home city is, in scope, size and importance, a daunting task,” Graham said. “I will dedicate my energy, experience and faith to this task.” The doors will weigh about 5 tons, with the main portal being about 30 feet high and 30 feet wide.

RADIO

Fistell Joining KRLA: Longtime Los Angeles radio personality Ira Fistell returns to a nightly slot beginning Jan. 4 on KRLA-AM (1110), airing from 11 p.m. to 3 a.m. He becomes the fourth former KABC-AM (790) host to be picked up by the new talk station, whose January lineup will also include Michael Jackson, Ken Minyard and Dr. Toni Grant. KRLA program director Ron Escarsega said Tuesday that Fistell will do the same type of show he did for nearly two decades on KABC: “He’ll talk about anything under the sun. He has generated huge ratings, and is the only person that can give Art Bell [who replaced Fistell on KABC in 1995] a run for his money.” To celebrate its new lineup, KRLA will broadcast the week of Jan. 4 live from the Museum of Television & Radio in Beverly Hills, starting at 9 a.m. with centerpiece host Jackson, followed by Grant at noon, and Ken Minyard and son Rick Minyard at 3 p.m.

TELEVISION

Heston Humbled: Charlton Heston sent “60 Minutes” correspondent Mike Wallace a written apology following Sunday’s broadcast of a segment on the actor and his duties as National Rifle Assn. president. “Mea culpa, mea maxima culpa. . . . It seems ironic that at this stage of my life I have to be reminded that it’s wiser to critique a work after you’ve seen it,” Heston wrote, referring to an essay he’d penned in Guns & Ammo magazine accusing the venerable newsmagazine of “SWAT-team journalism.” Wallace, who opened the original piece by quoting from the actor’s diatribe, will follow up by reading Heston’s apology on this Sunday’s broadcast.

Devane CBS’ Newest Cop: CBS will premiere “Turks,” a new drama starring William Devane as a veteran Chicago cop whose two sons follow him into the job, on Jan. 21 in the Thursday 9 p.m. time slot. That will push “Diagnosis Murder” back an hour to 8 p.m., while “Promised Land” goes on hiatus. The network said the latter show will return to the schedule March 25.

Impeachment-Flavored Ratings: The combination of the impeachment vote and Iraq bombing spurred a surge of viewers for the news channels last week. CNN led the pack with its highest-rated week of 1998, with an average of 1.2 million homes tuning in. That coverage peaked at 5.4 million homes on Saturday when President Clinton addressed the nation following the House of Representatives vote. Meanwhile, the little-seen Fox News Channel posted its highest-rated day since launching in 1996, averaging 273,000 households Saturday. The network newscasts also benefited, as “NBC Nightly News With Tom Brokaw” averaged almost 11.9 million viewers last week, its best results since February.

POP/ROCK

Michael’s Penance Nearly Over: A Beverly Hills judge signed singer George Michael off on Monday for having completed the 80 hours of community service required under his no-contest plea to lewd conduct in a park restroom. However, the judge warned that the singer remains under a court order to stay out of Will Rogers Park--where he was arrested April 7--for the rest of his probation, about 17 more months. Michael, 35, did his community service with a youth leadership program and paid $910 in fines. He also participated in five, one-hour counseling sessions.