A Night at the Opera

'The Met would be proud of this production,' proclaimed Dr. Jason Soier of San Francisco. Of course, he was speaking of the Pittsburgh Opera's stunning new production of Mozart's ' Don Giovanni, ' which opened its season on Saturday with all the pomp and panache of a night at the opera.

This is opera worthy of being called grand: outrageously gorgeous costumes, flashy stagecraft, a dynamic young cast, huge voices, brilliant direction and British baritone William Shimell, who delivers a knock-your-socks-off performance as the unrepentant Don Juan. No wan don here what with his little black encyclopedia of 1,003 conquests. And Mozart's masterpiece of music which John Mauceri conducted as if it were his own.

For the new era that's dawning with the PO's new leading triumvirate of Mark Weinstein, Christopher Hahn and John Mauceri, so dawned a sparkling new rendition of the Opera Association's 47th Diamond Horseshoe Ball. Rather than a ball, the damsels ever-so-glamorously spun it into an opening night black-tie reminiscent of those at the great opera houses of the world. Read on.

At 5 on the dot, shuttles from the Westin Convention Center hotel (scene of the apres-opera party) and limos brought swelegants to the Dominion Tower lobby where masked phantoms escorted them to the door. The lovelies glittered and gleamed so during cocktails, catered by the Fluted Mushroom. Out came the bijoux and glamour gowns, and the men all looked like somebody.

And as they moved, 200 strong, from the reception to the theater, quelle sight to behold. At intermission, how lovely, the house was feted to flutes of champagne and Godiva bonbons. Everyone remembered the victims of 9/11 with contributions to the disaster relief efforts which the opera is matching. A happening at all benefit gatherings ever since.

Following a standing 'O' and thundering bravissimos, a convoy of Molly's Trolleys returned 400 guests to the hotel at 10 o'clock for Act III, 'Bravissimo!' The Benny Benack band was playing 'The Best of Times' at full stick in the ballroom and a hearty plate of cheeses, fruits, pate and canapes was thoughtfully plated at each setting. Hugh Hildesley, who literally wrote the book on auctioneering, returned for a few painless extractions in the live auction that preceded the sumptuous (and I do mean sumptuous) supper.

What's more, the entire cast and crew stayed for the night and Tim Condron created the gorgeous centerpieces on high for those perfect sight lines. Indeed, a night at the opera means never having to say good night. When we finally tore ourselves away at 12:30, after eight hours, the floor was still packed, I tell you, with dancers twisting and shouting to, yes, 'The Twist.'

Faces in the crowd: gala chairs Kathleen and Dr. Chandra Reshmi; PO prez Woody Turner and Mary; ever-grand Marjorie Hughes; POA prexy Anita Dacal and Ross; Nancy and John Traina; Connie and Chuck Gregory; Pam and Herb Blomquist; Nadine Bognar; renowned mezzo Marianne Cornetti; Electra and Jim Agras; Carolyn and Joe Massaro; Frances and Joe Kane; Val Clark; Murry Gerber and stunning Allison in a long silvery gown; Rose and Dr. Mike Kutsenkow; Barbara Barry; Nancy Miller; Dr. Jim Kang and stunning Ruby (a Joan Chen lookalike); Dolores Wilson Smith; Barbara and Rod Norris; Joel and Mia Hallett Bernard; Hilda Fu wearing an iridescent bordeaux silk suit and Dr. Freddie in a black/fuchsia Shanghai Tang tux.

Plus Damian and the beautiful Teri Soffer; Dr. Alfonso Costa and Mary in a knockout red strapless by Versace; Deborah and Eric Hessinger; Michele Fabrizi wearing black chiffon by Carolina Herrara; Cynthia and Steve Beemsterboer; Shelley and Jeffrey Lipton; Ken McCrory and Pam in a shimmery backless head-turner; Craig Dunham and Caryn Rubinoff wearing a fab navy Gaultier; Carrie and Dr. Joe Marasco in from Florida; Lana and Art Agras; newlyweds Robin and Mark Williard; Sally Buchanan; Pearl and David Figgins; Rose Kunkel and Dr. Stan Hendry; Dick Pagliari and Jan in a black Chanel smoking; Jean Anne and Brack Hattler; Bill Stout and Saundra wearing a wowsa platinum silk Pamela Dennis gown and diamonds.

Plus plus Christine Toretti and Dave Jannetta; Milt Fine and Sheila in a fab pants number topped by ruby red with ruby earrings to match; Cheryl Buzzell and Randy Harper; Dee Bold; Joanie and Sam Kamin; Dr. Elliott Kramer and Bill Modrak; David and Kathleen Elias; Dorothy and Dr. Richard Raizman; Simon and Hazel Merrills; Ulla and Fritz Teroerde; Nicole and John Frazier; Gene and Ed Smith; Bill Graner; Marsetta and Dick Schweiger; Gloria and George Ley; Ruth and Dr. Wes Parry; Marilyn and Herb Shore; Audrey and Steve Richman; Drs. Letha and John Barber; Yvette and Erik Lawson; Dottie and Karl Urda; Edith Hughes; Adele and Al Raizman; and that same Dr. Soier sporting a dashing linen vest embroidered with a bold sunflower by Kenzo.

Like diamonds, opera is forever.

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The King Fishers

They say that charity begins at home. Especially when it's a cause for applause and impeccably hosted in a pedigreed manse. If the honorees are the real McCoys, you can count on a turnout of A-listers and the generally fabulous. Add to the mix an exquisite hostess who infuses everything she does with instinctive grace, and you have an affair to remember.

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So it was on Tuesday at Catherine and Mark Loevner's ne plus ultra fund-raiser in their Murdoch Farms manor that's filled with antiquities of the time when the sun never set on the British empire. Parents of four children, Audrey and Tim Fisher were feted for their steadfast support of Planned Parenthood of Western Pennsylvania. Truth be told, their legendary parties for PPWP are still the talk of the town.

Terribly attractive and major community assets, so golden is their presence to those who plan benefits that their every listing is a guarantee of success. And if that's not star power, Polly, then you better check your horoscope.

For an idea of the crowd that numbered 125, let's start with PPWP chairman Jim Abraham and Fran; Elsie and Henry Hillman; Ritchie Scaife; Audrey and Tom Hilliard; Drs. Helene Finegold and Todd Blodgett (sun-kissed from their honeymoon in Maui); Cathie and Manly Applegate; Karen and Ed Linder; Barbara Barry; Judy and Dr. Ron Linaburg; Sheila Fine; Susie and John Wean; Hannah and Marvin Kamin; Peggy and Steve McKnight; Diane and Hal Waldman; Marsha and Scott Deaktor; Pam Bryan; Liz Schoyer; Jane Roesch; and Edgar Levenson.

And continue on to Jan and Dick Pagliari; Ann and John Buckman; Teri and Damian Soffer; Christine and T.J. McCrady; Cynthia and John Tippins; PPWP prez Kim Evert and Bob; Liz and Tom Sweeney; Marian Winson and Bill Genge; Richard Stuart and Bill Ceroni; Tricia Kassling; Bev and Art Harlich; Margie McGregor; Elliott Oshry; Estelle Comay and Dr. Bruce Rabin; Dr. Katherine and Tracy Henderson; Heather Hannan; Wally and Marshall Katz; Betsy and Lee Deiseroth; Brooke Bartos and Joe Murphy; Gordon Fisher and Wes Scott.

Guests moved indoors and out to the light-hearted pianissimos of Gloria Spiegler on the baby grand. In the dining room, a glorious high table had been laid for the reception with translucent china, gleaming silver, antique lace and Alphabetical Order's flowers worthy of a botanical garden. All the while caterer Michael Lench had us trashing our diets in tastebud heaven with presentations to match. And those beautiful poached and smoked salmons swam upstream from Benkovitz that very morning.

We were so taken with the elegance and enchantment that, for a while at least, we forgot our sadness. It was the kind of marvelous evening we need a lot more of these days.

The sounds of silence

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The folks at the Pittsburgh Hearing, Speech and Deaf Services know that silence is not always golden. Friday's fete on 'The Image of Sound' at the Omni William Penn celebrated its 80th anniversary and ran video vignettes of silent film classics during cocktails. A subtle gambit that, when Hollywood let Garbo speak, it didn't mean a thing to those who would never be able to hear her dulcet tones.

Helping to overcome those communication barriers were such as benefit chair Maribeth Cuccinelli and Ken of Quest Fore; PSDS chair John Wilds and prexy Marlene Roberts; Linda and Don Morris; Kathy and Tom Johnson; Lisa and John Burke; Jerilyn and Rodney Herrman; Dee and George Bayer; Mary Jo and Joe Karlovits; Diane and Robert Sheets; and Marybeth Taylor.

The Prints of Palm Bach

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To those who decreed, 'No bright prints after Labor Day,' has designer Steven Stolman got news for you. He turned up the heat on Tuesday at the Twentieth Century Club with a 21st-century version of resort wear in fabrics that out-luxe the brocade on your Chippendale love seat. Rather, they are the same Scalamandre and boldly decorative fabrics found in draperies and upholstery at the grande dame club. To benefit the Carnegie Museums.

Although Stolman is credited with starting the French toile print rage in Palm Beach and the Hamptons, he abandoned the pattern once everyone began knocking it off. The pattern, yes, but not the carriage trade at his five tony enclaves. In his fall trunk collection, the cut on his jackets, skirts and pants is simple sophistication. Combine that with his signature chinoiserie brocade evening suits, chintz slacks, iridescent taffeta ball skirts and matching twin sets inspired by the Jackie O look, and you have a cachet that the jet set adores. With price points to match, natch.

In short, the feeling and look have done a 180 from Lily Pulitzer pink-and-green to boldly patterned chic. One fashion-forward confessed to ordering five pieces by phone and another at this informal sashay. Stolman also turns out a Southhampton collection for men in the same drapery fabrics that jaunty legal eagle Jimmy Dunn would tap his trust fund for.

Barbara MacQuown (sporting a sparkler from fiancee Sonny Telang!), now with the Carnegie, planned the chic reception with a flourish of tea sandwiches and calla lilies for such as Ann Bridges; Julie and Randy Ridenour; Gail Harbaugh and daughter Betsy Groninger; Jenifer Evans; Dolly Ellenberg; Ellen Bates in a red sheared mink to the floor; Jeanne and Scotti Mulert; Kim Jackson; Mary Beth Johnson; Kristina Rigoopulos; Judy Moore; Mollie Fitzgerald; Christina O'Toole; Nancy Donahue; Rebecca Whitlinger; Betsy Teti; Lonnie Silver; W.A. Baker; Jean Burt; Dee Gursky; Maria Hart; Arlene Sokolow; Dr. Audrey Zelkovic; and Janet Wizig of the new social Whirl magazine whose premiere edition just debuted on the newsstands.

Muffy, take note: Prints attract the eye, which is great for showcasing assets. And you can bet Mama's pearls against disappearing in a sea of black at your next benefit bash.

Hot wheels

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The best athletes are those whose virtuosity extend beyond the playing field. Like Dan Oshop's bike tour across 45 countries, six continents, 20,170 miles, 367 days with his panda bear, Pete.

Dan and Pete began their odyssey by leading the Rose Bowl Parade with 270 other cyclists in MM. A leap year to the date later, they led the 2001 parade ... this time with only 60 riders who made it across the finish line.

Here's the rest of the story. He did it all for the love of his sister, Dolly, who spent two years fighting breast cancer. Despite having to give up his business, refinance his home to pay for the trip and put his life on hold for a year, he raised $30,000 for the American Cancer Society. Dolly's swell, gentle reader. And on Tuesday, Dan and Pete took a lotta laughter at M in the Strip with a slide show of their adventure, emceed by KDKA-TV's Dave Crawley, that included such fans as his two brothers Dave and Dennis Oshop; Maria Campbell; Marty Smith; Gene Patterson; Al Seig; Lorale Clark; Howard and Ginger Franklin Schwartz; Allison Huber; Bill Clark; and Debbie Stanley. Again, to benefit his fave charity.

Dan's just a guy who laughs easily, speaks softly and is doing wheelies as the sole proprietor of Bruster's, an ice cream parlor in Greenfield. And he's making the world go 'round with the best homemade, ultra-creamy flavors in town. Go for the yogurt, ladies ... he's still single.

Power surge

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P.O.W.E.R. Promises rallied a record 762 guests and a bevy of local media and sport celebs for Sunday's power lunch and fashion strut at the Hilton. To benefit P.O.W.E.R. HOUSE, Allegheny County's only halfway program for women recovering from alcohol and other drug addictions.

On and off the catwalk were such as co-chairs Ellen Golonski and Jan Bleier with their ever-loving guys Tom and Rocky; Rosa Davis; Dwight and Karen Farmer White; hizzoner Tom Murphy; Joy Starzl; Dee Bold; Connie Rockwell; Barb Mendlowitz; Karen and Ed Linder; Qweilin Nassar; Judge Kate Ford Elliott; Ceci Sommers; KDKA's Larry Richert; Jack Bogut; Janice Friedman; Andy Russell; Sheila Hyland; and Pierre LaRouche.