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

PERFORMING ARTS

‘Peony’ Watch: “The Peony Pavilion,” the 400-year-old opera that was to have been performed by a Shanghai troupe at New York’s Lincoln Center Festival 98, is off again after Shanghai censors withheld permission for company members to leave China in time to make the production’s scheduled July 7 debut. The censors--objecting to the opera’s treatment of sexuality--had originally refused to ship the opera’s costumes and sets, but then reversed that decision late last week. But while the props were cleared, the performers themselves were not. Lincoln Center officials had said they needed approval for the troupe by Tuesday in order for it to take part in the festival. According to Nathan Leventhal, president of Lincoln Center, the larger fate of the production--which was also due to be performed by the Shanghai troupe in France in the fall followed by dates in Sydney, Australia, and Hong Kong--remains unknown. “We plan to ship the sets and costumes to France, and await further developments,” he said. As for whether Lincoln Center might present “The Peony Pavilion” at a later date in New York, Leventhal said, “We don’t know what the product would be, and we would have considerable hesitation dealing again with the Shanghai Bureau of Culture.”

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Tchaikovsky Winners: Russian musicians bested an international field, winning all three top prizes at the prestigious Tchaikovsky music competition Monday night in Moscow. The judges gave Denis Matsuyev the prize for piano, named Nikolai Sachenko the top violinist and selected Denis Shapovalov on cello. Previous winners have come from around the world, including American Van Cliburn, who won the piano prize in 1958.

TELEVISION

Magic’s Shoe(maker) Drops: Craig Shoemaker, the sidekick on “The Magic Hour”--the 3-week-old late-night show hosted by Earvin “Magic” Johnson--has been dropped from the series. No reason was given for the ouster, but executives at Twentieth Television, which distributes and produces the syndicated program, said they wished the comedian “the best of luck.” Producers had expressed unhappiness with Shoemaker over his so-called lack of chemistry with Johnson, and had recently diminished his role. Shoemaker told The Times Tuesday that he was fired over quotes he made in a Philadelphia Inquirer story saying he was being made a scapegoat over the show’s bad publicity.

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Punches on Paper: Talk-show host Jerry Springer has signed a book deal with St. Martin’s Press to write a behind-the-scenes account of his popular and controversial television program, including details about the show’s infamous fights. “Ringmaster”--due in stores in November--is to include stories about episodes of the show that have aired, as well as programs that never made it to television. “The show is stupid. I know that. But it’s OK, one hour a day, to be that way,” Springer told the New York Daily News, which reported that he will receive seven figures for the tome. Springer’s show has recently taken a bit of a downturn in the ratings after instituting a new, less violent format.

POP/ROCK

Top Concert Grosses: Yanni was the top-grossing pop music concert attraction in North America during the first six months of 1998, according to figures released Tuesday by Pollstar, which tracks the U.S. concert business. The Greek-born keyboardist grossed $35.8 million in 90 shows. The No. 2 tour was the “George Strait Country Music Festival,” a stadium trek that grossed $32.9 million in only 18 shows. Rounding out the Top 10: the Rolling Stones, $31.8 million in 20 shows; Eric Clapton, $28.4 million in 38; Elton John, $20.5 million in 27; Garth Brooks, $16 million in 45; the Dave Matthews Band, $12.1 million in 24; Jimmy Buffett, $10.2 million in 15; Billy Joel, $9.5 million in 15; and Aerosmith, $8.4 million in 26. Collectively, the Top 25 touring acts of 1998 have grossed $290 million, down from $307 million during the first six months of last year.

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Nancy Sinatra’s Tribute to Frank: Nancy Sinatra will release “For My Dad,” a three-song CD single paying tribute to the late Frank Sinatra, on July 14 on DCC Compact Classics. Included will be the 1967 father-daughter duet, “Somethin’ Stupid”; a follow-up duet, “Feelin’ Kinda Sunday”; and Nancy Sinatra’s tribute song, “It’s for My Dad.” Proceeds will go to the Frank Sinatra Foundation, a new charity formed to support Ol’ Blue Eyes’ favorite charities, including the International Red Cross, the Friars Clubs and the Barbara Sinatra Children’s Center.

QUICK TAKES

Actress Kellie Martin (“Life Goes On,” “Christy”) will join the cast of NBC’s “ER” in the fall, playing a third-year medical student. Martin’s casting comes a week after actress Maria Bello, who played Dr. Anna Del Amico, opted to leave “ER” to pursue a big-screen career. . . . The Spice Girls will make their first U.S. television appearance since the departure of band member Geri Halliwell (a.k.a. Ginger Spice) Thursday on CBS’ “Late Show With David Letterman.” . . . ABC has already secured eventual TV rights to the summer’s anticipated blockbuster, “Armageddon,” having paid a reported $30 million for the Bruce Willis picture. . . . Tuesday’s Morning Report item on the Orange County Performing Arts Center’s ‘98-’99 season was missing the dates for Rita Moreno’s Cabaret Series performances: March 11-13.