East Meets West at Carnegie Hall Fete : Society: Angelenos briefly enter social circle of the Kissingers, Trumps, and Buckleys at gala after L.A. Philharmonic concert.

The 100th anniversary of Carnegie Hall may have belonged to New York, but the gala centennial performance belonged to Los Angeles.

At least that’s how some 40 L.A. Philharmonic supporters felt Wednesday night when the orchestra performed in the newly restored Carnegie Hall. The concert wrapped up two days of events planned around the sold-out performance.

At a rehearsal earlier in the day, Philharmonic board president Stanley Beyer told orchestra members, “There will be 2,800 people here tonight celebrating Carnegie Hall--but there will be 40 people celebrating you.”

The celebrations continued at the post-performance, black-tie gala for 600 at the private Metropolitan Club, a former residence with an interior that rivals a museum: walls and ceilings painted like the Sistine Chapel and elaborate moldings.

The overstuffed chairs and vague mustiness that usually characterize the club were gone for the evening, replaced by tables for 10 decorated with black lace runners and enormous sprays of hydrangeas, roses and baby’s breath.

The Angelenos were not only awed by the surroundings but also by the other guests.

The New York social X-rays and usual suspects seen in the party pages of W were there, including Henry and Nancy Kissinger, Blaine Trump, Nan Kempner, Estee Lauder, Claudia Cohen and Ronald Perelman, Ricky and Ralph Lauren, Beverly Sills, Annette and Oscar de la Renta, Gloria Steinem, and Pat and William Buckley Jr., who co-chaired the gala with Stanley and Lynn Beyer.

The Los Angeles contingent displayed a strange fascination with these fabled Eastern socialites come to life. Some scrutinized the New Yorkers’ jewels and debated whether or not they could carry off wearing strapless gowns.

There was little interaction between East and West Coast camps. The Philharmonic supporters were seated together at separate tables and seemed content to be with each other.

When Carnegie Hall board chairman James Wolfensohn spoke to the crowd and declared the L.A. Philharmonic “one of the great American orchestras,” the loudest cheers came from the four Los Angeles tables.

Among those applauding were John and Joan Hotchkis, David Begelman, the Beyers’ children Robert Beyer and Laurian Legett, Joanna Carson, Royce and Jennifer Diener, Ginny Mancini, Della Koenig, Diane Downey and Philharmonic managing director Ernest Fleischmann with daughter Stephanie.

Carson, like others in the group, has an apartment in New York and comes here frequently. She said she joined up with the others because of her support of the orchestra. Begelman mentioned a love of music, a fondness for the Philharmonic and a good excuse to come to New York.

Not everyone realized that 40 people had come from Los Angeles to hear the Philharmonic. Declared conductor Andre Previn, with some surprise, “I didn’t know there were so many (L.A.) people here.”

Violinist Itzhak Perlman seemed in a jolly mood as he accepted congratulations from his fans for his performance. “My husband was transported,” gushed Pat Buckley, leaning over to greet him while tugging at the bodice of her black strapless mini.

Other than the setting and the players, the gala was amazingly similar to the Los Angeles social circuit--same schmoozing, same banquet food (veal chops, stuffed vegetables, ice cream in a chocolate shell), same air kisses, same designer gowns, same urgency to leave at the stroke of midnight.

“Oscar, come on !” said his wife Annette when the designer dallied too long talking to a friend.

Before the concert, the Angelenos were invited to a cocktail party at the pied-a-terre of songwriter Hal David and wife Eunice.

Guests nibbled on hors d’oeuvres and gazed out at the they-look-like-ants-from-here view. They chatted about differences between New York and Los Angeles. (Of New York: It’s great to be able to walk, bad when the cars aim for you.)

The day had begun with a four-course lunch at Bice that had diners groaning as they left the restaurant.

Pianist Emanuel Ax, who is performing with the Philharmonic tonight at Carnegie Hall, was there, along with Carnegie Hall archivist Gino Francesconi.

Those who were up for more visual stimulation proceeded to Carnegie Hall after lunch for a tour of the archives.

And when the day was finished, friends parted ways, discussed plans to tour with the orchestra to London and Salzburg, Austria, next, and said, “See you back in town.”

* MUSIC REVIEW F8