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

TELEVISION

Whither Thou Goest, Arthur, So Do They

Steven Spielberg is hooking up with Tony To (“Band of Brothers”) to executive produce an eight-episode HBO miniseries about the life of King Arthur from DreamWorks Television. And members of Parliament from Scotland, Wales and the West Country are battling to promote their region’s ties with the legendary court in an effort to get a piece of the action.

In a motion tabled in the House of Commons, David Heath noted that the king’s “historical and mythological” connection with Somerset, particularly Cadbury Castle and Glastonbury. He recommended the “beautiful and unspoilt” countryside in the area as an ideal location for filming.

Upholding a Welsh claim, Paul Flynn called for a debate on the motion, which he said contained the “dastardly and preposterous suggestion” that King Arthur’s court was located on a site other than Caerleon, near Newport. Robin Cook, the leader of the Commons, pointed out that many Scots believe the mythological hero was a prince of Strathclyde. Fears of runaway production notwithstanding, no American politicians have yet staked a claim.

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THE ARTS

Missing Chagall Is Back Home in Russia

The Marc Chagall painting stolen last year from New York City’s Jewish Museum is back on display at its home at the Russian Museum in St. Petersburg.

The 1914 work, “Study for ‘Over Vitebsk’ “--valued at $1 million--had been on loan to the Jewish Museum as part of an exhibit when it was stolen sometime after a museum reception on June 7, 2001.

Earlier this year, an undeliverable package was opened for identification at a postal center in Topeka, Kan. Workers there found the painting and, after noticing stickers from several museums on the back, called the FBI.

Experts identified the painting in February, and its owner--an unidentified, private St. Petersburg collector--requested that it be returned to the Russian Museum, where it had been part of the collection since 1992.

It was returned last week, and was formally unveiled Wednesday. The 8-by-10-inch oil shows an old man floating over a village with a walking stick and beggar’s sack.

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MUSIC

A New Ring Cycle (Apologies to Wagner)

A composer has written a symphony for what may be the most irritating instrument in the world.

According to the BBC, Simon Turner’s latest composition is “New Ring Cycle,” written for mobile phones--and masochists, of course. It premieres at the Cheltonham International Music Festival in Gloucestershire, England, on Saturday.

Conductor Marcus Moore defends the venture, saying that cell phones are far more than a means of communication. “They have got all the different ring tones on them,” he explains. “Each key makes a separate little sound. It is a creative thing. At all concerts, the one mobile phone that goes off is an anathema; here is one occasion when we can harness those fascinating tones in a positive way.”

Squeezed between an exploration of the history of the cell phone and a “celebratory finale” is a section encouraging audience participation. “[It’s] an opportunity for people to play with these things and think, ‘Hey, maybe I can compose something,’ ” Moore says.

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LEGAL FILES

Settlement Reached on Destiny’s Child Suit

Two former members of the R&B; group Destiny’s Child have settled their lawsuits against the group’s current members, its manager and Sony Music. Terms were not disclosed.

LeToya Luckett and LaTavia Roberson, original members of the group, quit Destiny’s Child in 2000. They later sued lead singer Beyonce Knowles, her father and group manager Mathew Knowles, original member Kelly Rowland and Sony Music for breach of contract, defamation, libel and fraud.

The plaintiffs left the group because of dissatisfaction with Mathew Knowles, who took over after the original manager died in 1997. They were also unhappy about the 2001 single “Survivor,” which they contended was a violation of an agreement that precluded either side from making disparaging comments about the other in public.

Beyonce Knowles, who co-wrote “Survivor,” insisted that the song was about everybody who had ever discouraged the group.

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Agency Is Victorious in Suit Against Disney

After deliberating for two days, a jury awarded Agency for the Performing Arts $14.8 million Wednesday in its case against the Walt Disney Co. At issue: packaging fees allegedly due from the ABC hit “Home Improvement.”

APA, which represented the show’s creator, Matt Williams, when the series first aired, contended that it had been underpaid. According to insiders, the studio will be responsible for 22% of the judgment, with the rest to be picked up by other profit participants.

In a statement, Disney said “there are solid grounds for appeal.”

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QUICK TAKES

In a preemptive bid, Twentieth Century Fox has purchased the motion picture rights to Michael Crichton’s upcoming novel, “Prey,” to be published by Harper Collins in November. The story is said to incorporate themes previously developed by the author in “The Andromeda Strain” and “Jurassic Park.” Theatre L.A. will hold the Ovation Awards at the newly refurbished, 2,000-seat Orpheum Theatre on Broadway in downtown L.A. on Nov. 24.

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Elaine Dutka