PARTY LINES : ROCK ME, `AMADEUS'.

Byline: Barbara De Witt

It was back-to-back galas at the Music Center celebrating the 33rd opening night of the theater season with Peter Shaffer's award-winning play ``Amadeus,'' and the opening of the Los Angeles Philharmonic's 81st season.

The ``Amadeus'' party passed on the usual black-tie dress code and suited up in cocktail attire, which made it a lot easier to step in and out of the buses that whisked guests from the swanky California Club to the Ahmanson Theatre and then back to the club for dinner.

Yes, it was chicken (free-range with leek and truffle sauce), but it was served on tables swathed in sheer iridescent party-dress fabric, and everything looked so glam that nobody complained. The table settings were elegant, too, right down to the dessert charger plates, which turned out to be souvenirs of the evening.

Table talk focused on ``Amadeus'' and its star David Suchet (as Salieri), whom many likened to Peter O'Toole in a ``A Man for All Seasons.'' But when he arrived for dinner without his makeup and wig, he clearly looked like Hercule Poirot, the Agatha Christie character that he plays on TV's A&E channel. Only younger, slimmer and oh-so-graceful.

Yeah, he's a charmer.

While chatting about the play, he also shared some good news for Hercule fans, commenting that he'll star in two more films to be aired on A&E in February.

Michael Sheen, who plays Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, was there, too. And guests wanted to know all about that tittering, spittle-laden laugh heard throughout the performance. Said Sheen, ``Creating the laugh wasn't hard, but it requires a lot of energy and pacing. You have to keep it light and fun, yet build it up from the first to the second act to have credibility.''

As Suchet, Sheen and the rest of the cast enjoyed their dinner, master of ceremonies John Ritter said to them, ``It's hard to eat chicken after hearing about God and mediocrity.''

He introduced mezzo-soprano Suzanna Guzman, who performed arias from Mozart's ``The Marriage of Figaro''; ``Babe'' star James Cromwell, who read a Shakespearean sonnet; and then joined David Dukes and Ian Lithgow in a soft-shoe rendition of ``Brush Up Your Shakespeare.''

Credit for the memorable evening that attracted 275 guests paying $350 a ticket, goes to event chairwoman Brindell Gottlieb and committee members Eunice David, Barbara Fodor, Harriet Hockman and Sandra Rosenbaum.

At the Philharmonic fete, it was more from the Bard, focusing on ``A Midsummer Night's Dream.'' As the orchestra played, celebrity artists (in black-tie attire instead of costumes) read parts from Shakespeare's play of the same name. Among the readers were David Ogden Stiers, Alfre Woodard, Rosie Perez, Thomas Gibson, Brent Spiner and ``Ally McBeal'' star Peter MacNicol, who was a delightful Puck. More comedy support was provided by Philharmonic music director Esa-Pekka Salonen, Los Angeles Opera's general director Peter Hemmings, and Gordon Davidson, artistic director of the Center Theatre Group.

While the Philharmonic folks put us in the mood with music, designer David Tutera provided the lavish setting for the post-concert blacktie gala that helped explain why tickets cost $600 each.

He turned the stark Music Center Plaza into a dazzling enchanted forest with giant butterflies and dragonflies flitting among the trees, flowers and mosses placed on the plaza and tabletops while fireworks exploded over our heads and chef Piero Selvaggio served mushroom mousse, rack of lamb and apple tarts.

Among the 550 guests were several music lovers from the Valley, including Darin DeWitt of Van Nuys, who said he hoped the evening's performance that combined music, literature and TV celebs, would help entice new, younger fans to become fans of the Philharmonic.

Simbi Khali of Studio City, who stars in ``3rd Rock From the Sun,'' was there, too, as well as her co-star John Lithgow, who said it was wonderful to get the Philharmonic involved with Shakespeare. Laughing, he said, ``And it was perfect casting for Davidson and Hemmings.''

Nearby was Perez, who said she jumped at the chance to work with the Los Angeles Philharmonic (she had the role of Hermia) because it has such prestige, even in New York. ``And besides, the conductor is cute. He's so English,'' she quipped, referring to Salonen.

The event, which ended with dancing to Art Deco and his Society Orchestra, raised $400,000, according to gala co-chairs Kenneth McCormick and Nancy Sanders.

Although Shakespeare wasn't invited, the second annual Buttons and Bows luncheon at the Beverly Hills Hotel was very British.

The event attracted 250 guests - mostly mothers and daughters - who came for an afternoon tea party with scones and cucumber sandwiches and a parade of children's fashions. It was also a chance to meet a few celebs, including Lea Thompson, Marlee Matlin, Nicole Cherie Saletta of ``Seventh Heaven,'' and Alison Arngrim of ``Little House on the Prairie,'' who acted as mistress of ceremonies.

The event was sponsored by Union Bank of California and raised $50,000 for the L.A.-based Caring for Babies With AIDS, said event coordinator Shannon Allbright Andrews of North Hollywood. In addition to ticket sales, there was a silent auction of an entire bedroom suite, and the winning bid of $3,500 was made by Barbara Leigh of Encino.

More goodies were consumed at the Fine Evening of Sweets, a dessert party held on New York Street at Paramount Pictures in Hollywood.

The event was hosted by Pam and Jerry Offsay and sponsored by Showtime Networks to benefit L.A. Family Housing's Valley Shelter. Among the celebs who helped raise $90,000 were Beau Bridges, Mimi Rogers and Jon Voight.

Honored at the Center for Excellence in Education gala at the Beverly Hilton Hotel was Dr. Jewel Plummer Cobb, president emeritus of California State University, Fullerton. A biologist specializing in cancer mutation cells, Cobb received the center's 1999 Achievement in Excellence Award for her lifetime of mentoring young medical students.

The awards dinner was attended by 250 guests, including former California first lady Gayle Wilson, and raised $200,000 for the center's projects. Dinner chairmen were Gordon Binder, chairman and CEO of Amgen, and David McLaughlin, chairman of the board of trustees for the Center for Excellence in Education and also chairman of CBS Corp.

The Tournament of Roses House in Pasadena was the site of the sixth annual Harvest Auction for the Collins School of Hospitality Management at California State Polytechnic University, where guests grazed on appetizers made by students and sampled a variety of California wines. The honorees of the evening were Margrit Biever and Robert Mondavi of Robert Mondavi Winery, and the bottom line was $180,000 for the college.

CAPTION(S):

5 Photos

PHOTO (1) ``Amadeus'' stars Michael Sheen, left, Glynis Bell and David Suchet at the California Club gala.

(2) ``Amadeus'' gala chairwomen Sandra Rosenbaum, Eunice David, Brindell Gottlieb and Barbara Fodor at the pre-show party.

Barbara De Witt

(3) Brittney Vasquez, 10, center, of Burbank, and her sister, Brigette, 7, line up with other models before the Buttons and Bows fashion show.

(4) ``Seventh Heaven'' star Nicole Cherie Saletta, 13, with Shannon Allbright Andrews of North Hollywood at the Buttons and Bows luncheon.

(5) Pam Grier, Jerry Offsay and Mimi Rogers at the Evening of Sweets soiree.

Charlotte Schmid-Maybach/Staff Photographer