Coming Up:

* The Center Theatre Group celebrates the opening of its 35th season with a benefit dinner dance in the Grand Hall of the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion after a performance of Matthew Bourne’s “The Car Man” at the Ahmanson Theatre on Sept. 8. Tickets $500. Call (213) 972-7660.

* AIDS Services Foundation Orange County’s “World’s Fair New Orleans,” a carnival-style extravaganza at the Orange County Fairgrounds on Sept. 8. Comedian Bruce Vilanch plays King Rex of the Mardi Gras. Tickets are $100. Call (949) 809-5700.

* Los Angeles Opera’s premier production of Richard Wagner’s “Lohengrin,” conducted by the company’s new principal conductor, Kent Nagano, and directed by Maximilian Schell, opens Sept. 12. Tickets $30-$165. Call (213) 365-3500.

* The Fine Art Dealers Assn. and the Music Center are sponsoring the opening-night gala for the seventh annual Los Angeles Art Show on Sept. 13 at the John Wooden Center, UCLA. Tickets $100. Call (213) 202-6280.

* “From Bach to Broadway 200,” a concert and reception featuring Suzanna Guzman of the Los Angeles Opera to benefit the St. Andrew Church Restoration Fund, on Sept. 14 at St. Andrew Roman Catholic Church, 311 N. Raymond Ave., Pasadena. Tickets $25. Call (626) 792-4183.

* South Coast Repertory sponsors “Shakin’ Up Shakespeare” black-tie gala Sept. 15 at the Noguchi Sculpture Garden in Costa Mesa. Tickets are $5,000 per table. Call (714) 708-5500.

* Members of the Mannequins of the Assistance League of Southern California are hosting a champagne reception and showing of the haute couture collection of designer Edward Achour on Sept. 15 at Merv Griffin’s Beverly Hilton Hotel. Tickets $75. Call (310) 285-1361.

* Fortuny at Villa delle Favole, a Venetian garden party fantasy, will benefit the California Chapter of Save Venice on Sept. 23 at a private estate in San Marino. Tickets $150; Young Friends of Save Venice (39 and under) $100. Call (626) 403-1730.

*

Information for Social Circuits can be directed to Patt Diroll in Los Angeles or Ann Conway in Orange County. Diroll is at pattdiroll@earthlink.net; Conway at ann.conway@latimes.com, or (714) 966-5952.