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

MOVIES

‘Crouching Tiger’ Concerto Premiere: Chinese composer Tan Dun, an Oscar nominee Tuesday for his original score for “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon,” will conduct the world premiere of a concerto composed for the film (but not included on the final soundtrack recording) at the Irvine Barclay Theatre in October. “Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon Suite for Orchestra and Erhu” (an erhu is an ancient Chinese two-string violin) will have three performances, Oct. 19-21, as part of the Philharmonic Society of Orange County’s third annual Eclectic Orange Festival. A video montage of scenes from the movie will play behind the musicians.

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‘Hannibal’ Rating, Sequel: Australian Attorney General Daryl Williams ordered a review on Tuesday of “Hannibal’s” rating classification there after parents were outraged that children would be allowed to see the violent film. “The Silence of the Lambs” sequel has been rated MA (Mature Accompanied) in Australia, allowing children under 15 to view it with an adult. The film--which is rated R in North America, where it opened over the weekend with $58 million in ticket sales--was due to open in Australia today. Meanwhile, Hopkins, attending a showing of “Hannibal” at the Berlin International Film Festival Sunday, told reporters: “I would like to do one more sequel, which is being discussed. Hopefully that will be fairly soon, maybe next year.”

POP/ROCK

Critics Pick Outkast: Atlanta rap duo OutKast’s “Stankonia” has been named the best album of 2000 by 278 U.S. critics in the annual poll by the Village Voice. OutKast also claimed two of the top three places in the singles competition, with “Ms. Jackson” and “B.O.B” finishing first and third, respectively. Controversial rapper Eminem’s “Stan” was voted the year’s second-best single. In the album category, OutKast was followed by PJ Harvey’s “Stories From the City, Stories From the Sea,” Radiohead’s “Kid A,” Eminem’s “The Marshall Mathers LP” and Shelby Lynne’s “I Am Shelby Lynne.”

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Web Alternatives: The holiday formerly known as Valentine’s Day becomes Web-venture launch day today for the artist intermittently known as Prince. His new NPG Music Club site, at https://www.npgmusicclub.com, will have the usual fan-oriented features such as music downloads, tour information and merchandise, but also will offer exclusive software that allows users to get preferred seating and backstage passes at concerts and to download unreleased tracks. “This new mode of exchange and distribution effectively eliminates the need 4 any intermediates between the Artist and U,” the site says. “Trying to create a community through the Web is something that’s been very much at the front of [Prince’s] mind in recent years,” says Alan Light, editor of Spin magazine. “I think people are kind of burned out hearing him talk about record companies and [alternative methods of music] distribution . . . but the fact is, he was making this a big issue years before Napster was making it a big issue for everybody else.”

THEATER & DANCE

Matthew Bourne Takes on ‘Carmen’: Choreographer Matthew Bourne’s “The Car Man,” which combines Bizet’s “Carmen” music with an entirely new story, will play the Ahmanson Theatre for eight weeks in September and October as part of a tour, according to an announcement from Bourne’s London-based Adventures in Motion Pictures. Though an Ahmanson spokesman would not confirm the news, he acknowledged the Ahmanson’s “ongoing relationship” with Bourne, including the U.S. premieres of his “Swan Lake” in 1997 and “Cinderella” in 1999.

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La Jolla Season: “Jekyll and Hyde” composer Frank Wildhorn’s “The Musical Dracula” will have its premiere at La Jolla Playhouse Oct. 14-Nov. 11, staged by La Jolla’s interim artistic director Des McAnuff, with a book by Christopher Hampton and lyrics by Don Black. Also in the 2001 season: The return of former artistic director Michael Greif to stage Thornton Wilder’s “Our Town” (May 20-June 17); Michael Ondaatje’s “The Collected Works of Billy the Kid” (June 17-July 15); the premiere of Annie Weisman’s “Be Aggressive” (July 29-Aug. 26); the Southern California premiere of Moises Kaufman and Tectonic Theater Project’s “The Laramie Project” (Aug. 5-Sept. 2); and the premiere of Howard M. Gould’s “Diva,” a comedy about Hollywood sitcoms (Sept. 16-Oct. 14).

TV & RADIO

More Viewing Unity: Despite being criticized for its nearly all-white contestant pool, ABC’s “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” has brought African American and white households closer in their TV viewing habits. The show’s Tuesday and Wednesday editions are among eight programs making the Top 20 lists for both black and white households this fall--the greatest common viewership in at least a decade, according to New York-based media buyer TN Media. Also on both lists: ABC’s “Monday Night Football,” NBC’s “ER,” ABC’s “The Practice,” and CBS’ “Touched by an Angel,” “60 Minutes” and “Judging Amy.” As recently as 1996, “Monday Night Football” was the only show on both lists.

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Growing Up: Nickelodeon, the cable network for kids 2 to 11, is aging a bit. The network will premiere on March 4 a Sunday night programming block for “tweens”--kids ages 9 to 14. Airing from 6 to 8:30 p.m. “TEENick” will include reruns of the former ABC series “Hangin’ With Mr. Cooper,” as well as original series about kids in the age group, a music video countdown and occasional concert specials. “This is a point in time when kids are ready to graduate from kids-dom but are not quite ready for teenage life,” said Nickelodeon General Manager Cyma Zarghami. “TEENick will . . . explore some of the issues relevant to their lives, like peer pressure, fitting in and having more responsibility.”

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News Awards: L.A.’s news radio station KNX-AM (1070) has won a leading seven prizes, including awards for best live coverage and spot news, in the annual Associated Press Television-Radio Assn. of California & Nevada awards. San Jose’s KNTV lead the TV categories with seven awards. Among L.A. winners, KCOP took four honors, including best news writing, and KTLA won two awards, with both--including the best anchor distinction--going to “News at Ten’s” Hal Fishman.