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

THE ARTS

Bellagio Collection Altered: Just three weeks after its much-ballyhooed debut, the $300-million collection at the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art, crown jewel of hotelier Steve Wynn’s new Las Vegas resort, has already shrunk. Six of the 26 high-ticket paintings and sculptures have already left the lavish commercial gallery. Spokesmen could not confirm the sale status, but gone are sculptures by Constantin Brancusi, Alberto Giacometti and Claes Oldenburg, a painted relief by Roy Lichtenstein, Franz Kline’s monumental abstraction “August Day” and Jasper Johns’ classic “Flag on Orange Field II.” However, gallery additions could soon be on the way, as Wynn is expected at this month’s modern art auctions in New York, where a rare, 1909 Cubist nude by Picasso and an 1889 Van Gogh self-portrait are among the offerings.

ENTERTAINMENT

Sales Junkie: Alanis Morissette’s new album, “Supposed Former Infatuation Junkie,” got off to strong first-day sales, retailers reported Wednesday. Based on Tuesday’s numbers, industry insiders predicted first-week sales of 500,000 to 600,000--which would leave it second this year only to the first-week total for the Beastie Boys’ “Hello Nasty” (681,000). “It may not be another Beastie Boys . . . but this is the kind of album that’s going to be around for a long time,” said Bob Bell of the Wherehouse chain. . . . Meanwhile, Brooklyn rapper Jay-Z’s “Vol. 2 . . . Hard Knock Life” remained the nation’s top seller last week (174,000), with Dru Hill’s new “Enter the Dru” at No. 2 (127,000), according to SoundScan. R.E.M.’s “Up” debuted at No. 3 with sales of only 117,00 copies--less than half the first-week figure of the band’s last album, 1996’s “New Adventures in Hi-Fi.”

Janet, Elton Share ‘Truth’: Elton John and Janet Jackson have recorded a duet--”I Know the Truth,” produced by Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis--to be released early next year as part of a “cast album” for an upcoming musical. The musical, “Elaborate Lives,” is being written by John and lyricist Tim Rice. However, no timetable is set for the musical’s premiere.

QUICK TAKES

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “Cats” was one of PBS’ highest rated music specials ever, drawing an estimated 12.8 million viewers Monday, PBS said Wednesday. Its ratings topped 1996’s “Riverdance” by 61%. . . . Corp. for Public Broadcasting Vice Chairman Frank Cruz outlined opportunities for Latinos in the digital TV age at Wednesday’s opening of the fourth Latino Entertainment Industry Conference at the Universal Hilton. The conference culminates Friday with a tribute to producer Moctesuma Esparza.