Angels Wing It Around Liza Minnelli

The late Rudolf Nureyev was feted there when he visited the Orange County Performing Arts Center in Costa Mesa with the Paris Opera Ballet. Retired diva Beverly Sills has also been honored there.

Let’s just say the Center Room at the center, with its Third-Century Syrian mosaics (on loan from the J. Paul Getty Museum) and silver glinted marble tables, is reserved for very important parties. It is also the place where the center’s major donors schmooze, sip and snack during intermissions.

So it was only appropriate that the Angels of the Arts--the all-women center support group that has donated $3.5 million to the center since 1983--celebrate its 10th anniversary in the posh sanctum with Liza Minnelli on Monday following her knockout concert in Segerstrom Hall.

Sweeping into the room in an elegant black lace ensemble, Minnelli visited one-on-one with the Angels, one of whom--Judy Threshie--informed Minnelli she was her leader in summer camp, way back then.

Another Angel, Sheila Prell Sonenshine, attended a private girls’ school with the singer in the ‘50s. “Liza was always a performer--a standout,” Sonenshine said.

And Laura de La Rosa, a guest of Angel Zee Allred, told Minnelli they’d attended junior high school together. Proof: a school yearbook with a written inscription from Liza to Laura.

“What a thrill; what a performance!” said Carol Wilken, the center’s vice chairwoman of community outreach. “Such energy Liza has! It’s wonderful to be an Angel, wonderful that we can help provide money for this sort of quality entertainment.”

*

The man of the House: Otologist Howard House, who founded the House Ear Institute in Los Angeles in 1946, turned the tables on comic-impressionist Fred Travalena on Friday night during House’s 85th birthday bash at the Balboa Bay Club. After his huge white birthday cake was rolled into the ballroom, House took the stage and he got some laughs.

Turning to Travalena--who had done hysterical impressions of several stars and politicos (including Ronald Reagan)--House said Reagan had come to him for his problem with hearing loss.

“I had no problem fitting Reagan with a hearing aid in his right ear, but I was having some difficulty with his left,” House said. “Reagan told me: ‘Don’t bother about that ear; I don’t want to hear anything from that side anyway.’ ”

House also told the crowd that the ultra-loud metallic black and gold jacket he was wearing was given to him 30 years ago. “I just couldn’t bring myself to wear it all these years,” he said. “I thought it was ridiculous. Tonight is the first night I’ve ever had it on. I’m so proud it fits!”

Women guests at the Art-Deco themed affair were presented with fresh gardenia corsages when they arrived. Dinner was tenderloin of beef, broasted potatoes and chocolate-dipped strawberries.

The event was staged by the Associates support group of the institute. Funds from the benefit will go toward the institute’s Children’s Center.

“Our research with children has brought us so far we are able to test infants for hearing loss when they are only one or two days old,” House said.

Among guests were party chairwoman Dori de Kruif with her husband, Jack; Gloria Osbrink, president of the Associates, with her husband, Raymond; Sandra Brodie; Judy Budd; Bob and Peggy Goldwater Clay; Scott and Mary Lou Hornsby; Robert and Cleva Howard; Mary Ann and Lon Wells; and Nora and Charles Hester. (Hester recently celebrated his 80th birthday at the Ritz restaurant in Newport Beach with 100 male friends. “I’ve already made reservations at the Ritz for my 90th,” Hester said. “That night, I’ll only have women attend. I figure I’ll be harmless by then.”)

*

Speaking of Charles Hester: Hester will receive the coveted Adam Award on Thursday during luncheon at the Beverly Hilton hotel in Los Angeles. The award is presented annually by the Mannequins Auxiliary of the Assistance League of So. California to outstanding philanthropists. The event is being chaired by Joyce Reaume of Newport Beach. Judie Argyros of Newport Beach is on the gala committee.

*

Triathalon kickoff: Trattoria Spiga at Crystal Court in South Coast Plaza, Costa Mesa, will be the site of a carbo-loading dinner the evening of June 3 for the athletes who will participate in the Mazda/Orange County Performing Arts Center Triathalon on June 6. The public is invited to enjoy a buffet dinner and mingle with the athletes who are coming from all over the world to participate in the annual benefit for the center. Dinner tickets are $10 each.