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

CLASSICAL MUSIC

Second String: Los Angeles Opera has named Edgar Baitzel, a German director and opera consultant/administrator, as the company’s new artistic administrator, effective June 2000. Baitzel, who served as artistic consultant at the Nice Opera from 1996 to 1998 and recently directed a number of productions there, will be second-in-command to Placido Domingo, L.A. Opera’s artistic director designate. His is the first major appointment made since November 1998, when super-tenor Domingo was named to take over from Peter Hemmings, who retires as L.A. Opera’s general director at the end of this season. Baitzel’s appointment is particularly significant because Domingo, unlike Hemmings, will be away from L.A. much of the time, due to both singing engagements and his other job, as head of the Washington Opera. A search is still on for a new executive director--the company’s business administrator--to replace Patricia Mitchell, who left in June.

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Mayor vs. Mauceri: Could Mayor Richard Riordan be preparing for a new career? He’s set to make his conducting debut this weekend when he leads the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra in one of his favorite pieces, Richard Rodgers’ “Beneath the Southern Cross” from “Victory at Sea.” He’ll conduct the piece at the Bowl’s “Party of the Century--Fireworks Finale” concerts on both Friday and Sunday nights. The orchestra’s regular conductor, John Mauceri, will lead the rest of the program.

TV & RADIO

Master of Late-Night Domain: In his first network TV appearance since the “Seinfeld” finale, Jerry Seinfeld will segue to late-night when he hosts the Oct. 2 season premiere of NBC’s “Saturday Night Live.” David Bowie will be the musical guest.

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Internet Reporter: Sam Donaldson will assume several new roles--including Internet reporter--as part of a new, multiyear deal with ABC News. Donaldson, who is leaving his regular White House beat but will continue to be based in Washington, will report for all ABC News programs and will also do hourlong news specials. In addition, he will shepherd a new Internet report, “SamDonaldsonABCNEWS.com,” which will appear Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays at 9:30 a.m. on https://abcnews.go.com, beginning Sept. 27. He will continue to co-anchor “This Week,” and to anchor and report for “20/20” as his schedule permits. Meanwhile, ABC has announced its “20/20” anchor lineup for this season: Connie Chung and Jack Ford on “20/20 Monday,” Diane Sawyer and Charles Gibson on “20/20 Wednesday” and Barbara Walters on “20/20” Friday. The new Thursday edition, to be called “20/20 Downtown,” premieres Oct. 7 with rotating hosts Elizabeth Vargas, John Quinones, Jay Schadler and Cynthia McFadden.

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Emmy Ratings Drop: Preliminary estimates indicate that viewing of Sunday’s Nighttime Emmy Awards telecast on Fox declined about 11% compared to a year ago, averaging roughly 17.2 million viewers over the three hours. Last year’s 50th anniversary ceremony ran four hours on NBC. . . . Meanwhile, Don Mischer, who produced Sunday’s Emmy telecast, has been named executive producer for the opening and closing ceremonies at the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City.

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KABC Protest: City Councilman Mark Ridley-Thomas and the Rev. Cecil “Chip” Murray of First AME Church led a rally Monday outside of KABC-AM’s (790) La Cienega Boulevard studios to protest comments made about Ridley-Thomas’ district on the station’s “John and Ken” talk show. Ridley-Thomas, who has spearheaded a drive to bring a pro football team back to the L.A. Coliseum, was particularly incensed by a remark about whether people would want to attend a game there. He quoted the hosts as saying: “[The] only kind of people who would show up for a game in that neighborhood on a regular basis are gang-type thugs. They are not going to get regular families to show up and spend hundreds of dollars . . . in that filthy neighborhood.” A KABC spokesperson did not immediately return a phone call seeking comment.

QUICK TAKES

John Travolta’s private plane was forced to make an emergency landing at Boston’s Logan International Airport while en route from Los Angeles to Bangor, Maine, on Sunday after an engine overheated and shut down, an airport official said. It was unknown if Travolta, a licensed pilot, was at the controls of the Boeing 707. . . . Smashing Pumpkins bassist D’Arcy has left the group, according to a brief statement from the band. No explanation was cited for the departure. . . . KLSX-FM (97.1) afternoon host Tom Leykis has gone bicoastal. His 4-7 p.m. show on Monday began being syndicated live in New York on WNEW-FM, which has a talk format similar to KLSX’s. Both stations are owned by CBS. . . . Former “Good Morning America” host Joan Lunden will chat with fans online today at 4 p.m. to promote her 10 p.m. ABC special, “Behind Closed Doors With Joan Lunden VIII.” The live chat is at https://www.abc.go.com. . . . Actress Juliette Lewis and professional skateboarder Steve Berra, both 26, were married last Thursday in Big Sur. It’s the first marriage for both.