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

MUSIC

Keillor Opera Targets Marital Monotony

Garrison Keillor, host of public radio’s “A Prairie Home Companion,” has written an opera that is set to premiere May 24 in concert with Minnesota’s St. Paul Chamber Orchestra.

The story of a tax man and his teacher-wife trying to instill romance into their marriage, “Mr. and Mrs. Olson” will be presented at the Ordway Center for the Performing Arts.

“It’s May,” Keillor told the St. Paul Pioneer Press. “He is thinking about the lawn. She is thinking about divorce. In search of companionship, or something, she goes into an online chat room and, there, meets a man whose mind appeals to her--his thoughts about living life boldly and hurling yourself forward, though you know you’ll make mistakes and hurt people.”

The opera will star local soprano Maria Jette, who’s a regular on Keillor’s radio show, along with mezzo-soprano Alexandra Hughes, tenor Mark Thomsen, baritone Robert Orth and bass Brian Jauhianen. Andy Stein, resident violinist on “A Prairie Home Companion,” wrote and arranged the music.

TELEVISION

‘Soprano’ Actor Pleads Guilty to Petty Larceny

Robert Iler, who plays the rebellious, pot-smoking son of mob boss Tony Soprano on HBO’s “The Sopranos,” pleaded guilty Tuesday to mugging two youths and stealing $40.

Iler, 17, admitted to misdemeanor petty larceny in return for a sentence of three years’ probation. He was granted youthful offender status, and his record will be sealed. A co-defendant, Alban Selimaj, 17, entered the same plea.

The two were originally charged with second-degree robbery for the incident July 4. A conviction on that charge carries a penalty of up to 15 years in prison.

Bonet a No-Show

for ‘Cosby’ Reunion

One member of the Huxtable family won’t be attending next month’s reunion of “The Cosby Show.” Lisa Bonet, who played teenage daughter Denise Huxtable on the NBC sitcom from 1984 to 1991, said she turned down the offer to take part because she thought the new program lacked artistic merit.

“The whole experience and energy behind it felt disingenuous and motivated by corporate profit,” the 34-year-old actress told People magazine. “I was not feeling the love. It was a take-it-or-leave-it, with-or-without-you offer, and I felt devalued and disrespected.”

NBC said Bonet wasn’t participating because she was too busy. The May 19 special, “The Cosby Show: A Look Back,” will include clips and taped interviews with Bill Cosby, Phylicia Rashad and the show’s now-grown child actors.

MOVIES

MTV, Stuntmen Announce Nominees

Now that the Oscars are behind us, it’s time for some less serious award shows.

The 2002 MTV Movie Award nominees for best picture are “Black Hawk Down,” “The Fast and the Furious,” “Legally Blonde,” “The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring” and “Shrek.” More fun are its categories for best kiss and best fight.

The best kissers? Heath Ledger and Shannyn Sossamon (“A Knight’s Tale”); Jason Biggs and Seann William Scott (“American Pie 2”); Renee Zellweger and Colin Firth (“Bridget Jones’s Diary”); Mia Kirshner and Beverly Polcyn (“Not Another Teen Movie”); and Nicole Kidman and Ewan McGregor (“Moulin Rouge”). Vying for the pugilistic title: Angelina Jolie vs. a robot (“Lara Croft: Tomb Raider”), Christopher Lee vs. Ian McKellen (“Lord of the Rings”), Jet Li vs. himself (“The One”); and Chris Tucker and Jackie Chan vs. the Hong Kong Gang (“Rush Hour 2”).

The show will be taped at the Shrine Auditorium on June 1 and will air on MTV June 6.

“Rush Hour 2” also led the pack in the second annual World Stunt Award nominations, with the ceremony to be telecast on ABC on May 31. The movie’s nine nominations included three for best high work and one for best water work. Seven nominations each went to “Apocalypse Now Redux” and “The Fast and the Furious.”

DVD Rentals Tower Over Last Year

Consumers rented more DVDs in the first quarter of 2002 than in any other three-month period since the format’s introduction--and more than they did during the entire year of 2000, the Video Software Dealers Assn. reports.

The digital format accounted for $633.7 million in rental revenue during the first three months this year, up 126% from the same period a year ago, the association said. DVDs now account for nearly 30% of the home video market, it said.

QUICK TAKES

Following on the heels of colleagues such as Connie Chung, Aaron Brown and Jeff Greenfield, ABC legal analyst Jeffrey Toobin has made a move to CNN. He’ll continue as a staff writer at the New Yorker.... Alfonso Cuaron (“Y Tu Mama Tambien”) will serve as guest director for the 2002 IFP Los Angeles Film Festival, hosting a two-day filmmaker retreat and programming films for the June 20-29 event that have inspired his work.... Robin Roberts has been named the news anchor for “Good Morning America.” ... Philanthropist Elizabeth A. Sackler bought Judy Chicago’s feminist installation “The Dinner Party” and gave it to the Brooklyn Museum of Art last week.... “Metamorphoses” was named best play and “Urinetown” best musical at the 2002 Lucille Lortel Awards, honoring off-Broadway shows. Both have moved to Broadway.