WEEK IN PREVIEW

MOVIES

“A Perfect Murder,” a psychological suspense thriller, stars Michael Douglas as a millionaire industrialist who has everything but what he craves most: the love and fidelity of his young wife (Gwyneth Paltrow, right). With Viggo Mortensen as the wife’s artist-lover, the film opens Friday in general release.

THEATER

“All in the Timing” serves up six short comedies by David Ives: a bakery encounter with Philip Glass, three typing chimpanzees who may eventually come up with “Hamlet,” Trotsky contemplating fate (with an ax embedded in his head)--you get the idea. It opens Wednesday at the Geffen Playhouse.

MUSIC

Carl St.Clair and the Pacific Symphony close the orchestra’s 1997-98 season with a program featuring Mahler’s Fifth Symphony and celebrated baritone Thomas Hampson as soloist in songs by Aaron Copland and Mahler, Wednesday and Thursday at Orange County Performing Arts Center.

DANCE

“Dance and Music of the Iranian World” finds the locally based Avaz International Dance Theatre going back in time as far as the 16th century to illustrate the splendor of a complex, varied dance tradition. Six premieres are included on the 14-part program at the Wilshire Ebell Theater tonight.

ART

It’s officially summer at the Museum of Contemporary Art as the popular “Summer Nights at MOCA” jazz concert series resumes this week with free admission from 5 to 8 p.m. Thursdays, beer and wine tastings and informal gallery tours. First up: the Dr. Art Davis Trio, with Horace Tapscott and Billy Higgins.

POP MUSIC

To mark the release of his “When We Were the New Boys” album, which returns him to his rocker roots, Rod Stewart will turn the Sunset Strip into his own private Gasoline Alley on Tuesday night. The venerable Englishman performs at the Tower Records parking lot, the Roxy and the Whisky.

POP MUSIC

Stepping away from the bluster of the Stone Temple Pilots, Scott Weiland is out on the road promoting his eclectic solo album, “12 Bar Blues.” The oft-troubled singer-songwriter, whose battles with heroin addiction have been well documented, plays Saturday night at the Palace in Hollywood.

VIDEO

“John Grisham’s The Rainmaker” is director Francis Ford Coppola’s best studio film in years. The drama about a lawyer who takes on an insurance company boasts fine performances from Matt Damon, Danny DeVito, Jon Voight and veteran Oscar-winner Teresa Wright. It arrives in stores Tuesday.

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Early Warning: Can Earth survive another asteroid movie? Find out July 1 when “Armageddon,” starring Bruce Willis, comes crashing into theaters.