Who needs klieg lights?

The invitations were curious enough. Guests were sent a red chrome egg with a cracked top that bore an uncanny resemblance to artist Jeff Koons’ “Cracked Egg (Red).” As well it should. The sculpture, chosen for obvious symbolism, is part of the inaugural show at the Broad Contemporary Art Museum at LACMA, and the invitation was the first clue that the opening-night party would be no ordinary affair.

Stilt-walking dragon knights plied the red carpet, as guests -- artists Takashi Murakami, John Baldessari, Cindy Sherman and Koons himself, to name a few -- wandered through rows of restored vintage street lamps (Chris Burden’s “Urban Light” installation) during the pre-dinner cocktail party.

After a glass of bubbly from one of the eight life-size ice-sculpture waiters, guests mingled with the likes of Tom Ford, Rita Wilson and Maria Shriver (in a Marchesa dress by Georgina Chapman). Tom Cruise and Dustin Hoffman embraced as their wives, Katie Holmes (in vintage Lanvin) and Lisa Hoffman, stood by their sides. And there was actor Michael York and his wife, Pat (wearing a floor-length gown with a large floral design by Italian designer Roberto Capucci).

They noshed on caviar (scooped from eggshells dyed to match Koons’ piece) and watched as two performers, each sealed inside a 10-foot-tall, see-through plastic bubble, twirled ribbons and flung egg-shaped confetti into the space.

The air was also filled with idle speculation. Was tonight’s A-list crowd partly due to the prospect of a diminished Academy Awards party circuit? After all, Vanity Fair canceled its long-running post-Oscars bash. Well, whatever. There goes Edward Norton, Michael Milken, Anjelica Huston and musician David Byrne.

Rikki Kleiman, wife of LAPD chief Bill Bratton, wore a spectacular orange dress that came with its own press materials (which she misplaced). “It was designed by Nilatye De Osu,” she said later and then confessed that it actually belongs to the wife of the Seattle police chief. “We’re exactly the same size and height. I told her once that if I ever had an appropriate event, I’d want to borrow it. She even loaned me a pair of vintage Miriam Haskell earrings.”

The main event began when the words “Dinner Is Served” scrolled across the side of the 22,000-square-foot outdoor tent. Inside, Lionel Richie (daughter Nicole was also in the house) was singing, while guests supped on a Wolfgang Puck-catered meal.

As the fleet of waiters delivered the desserts -- white chocolate eggs dyed red and filled with vanilla mousse (do we detect a theme?) -- a rather symphonic version of Led Zeppelin’s “Kashmir” began to rev up. Musicians descended from the ceiling of the tent. As the music swelled to a crescendo, the band was raised to the roof again, and the entire south wall of the tent dropped away to reveal the facade of the new museum.

On the darkened stretch of lawn between the tent and Renzo Piano’s soaring three-story travertine monument to the arts, stood two dozen black-clad violinists, heads shaven and painted the same shade of red as Koons’ egg, playing wildly as the music pounded and the crowd jumped to its feet.

“Ladies and gentlemen, please follow the red carpet to be among the first to see the Broad Contemporary Art Museum,” a voice said, and the A-listers queued up to take a look.

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adam.tschorn@latimes.com