Dramatic lighting and armloads of magnificent roses created a stunning setting for the Fifteenth Anniversary Lombardi Gala at the Washington Hilton on November 4. Despite the record-breaking throng of more than 1300 supporters, the hotel succeeded in serving a dinner worthy of the décor.

A goodie-laden silent auction preceded the dinner. With the dessert course, popular Washington Post columnist Bob Levey led the live auction of five super items ranging from dinner with Hall of Famer Yogi Berra in his Skybox (which was won with a bid of $14,000) to a 2001 Jaguar, donated by Rosenthal Jaguar and Manhattan Jaguar, which was captured with a $55,000 bid.

Margaret Hodges, as tireless as she is gracious, founded the gala to benefit the Lombardi Cancer Center of Georgetown University's Medical Center which receives 100% of the funds raised. New York Yankees manager Joe Torre was this year's recipient of the "Lombardi Symbol of Courage" Award presented annually to sportsmen who have faced cancer and who possess the inspirational qualities of Coach Vince Lombardi, for whom the Center is named.

Mrs. Don Nickles, wife of the Oklahoma senator, chaired the event, where guests made up a "Who's Who" of Washington: Joy and John Safer (he designed the two awards presented), the Larry Burtons, Brad and Natalie Bunker Stoddard (who in fall defied the weather to give one of the last and best barbecues of the season. "Rain doesn't dare wreck the party when Natalie picks the date," said Brad. Indeed it didn't, a very slight sprinkle fell on the tent in mid-barbecue, and left before the guests did). Supporters included Betty and Paul Elicker, Jackie and Jorge Carnicero, Randy Rouse, the Maximo lugelmans, Aniko and Nash Schott, the Clifford Alexanders, fashion authority Nancy Chistolini, Mr. and Mrs. Irwin Zazulia of Hecht's, who underwrote the evening, Shirley and Al Small, Donna and Jack Pflieger, William Nitze, Maggie Wimsatt, FBI Director and Mrs. Louis Freeh, the Joseph and Alma Gildenhorn, Bob and Mary Haft, Brandon and Mariana Grove, Toni and Peter Marx of Saks-Jandel, Suzanne Singer and John Bergin with brother Michael Bergin and his wife, Virginia Amos of the publishing world, Capitol Hill pyschiatrist Joseph Tarantolo and his wife Elissa Feldman of the EPA, lawyer Robert Capell and Dr. Dawn Reed-Jones, Maria (Mickey) Nedelcovic, the Simon Serfatys (Gail is Director of the Diplomatic Reception Rooms at the State Department), Connie and James Stewart, Maurice and Joan Tobin, JoAnn Mason, Susan and Neil Sheehan, and the ambassadors of Hungary, Jordan, Egypt, Lebanon, and the Netherlands.

Instead, once seated at the Steinway, the bobby-soxer first traversed the intricacies of a Chopin etude with quiet artistry, then produced a Rachmaninoff of thundering chords (it must have required a stevedore's strength to draw from the piano) while never once turning a hair--or a hair ribbon.

She is Ira Arbatskaya from the Ukraine, fresh from winning the Vladimir Horowitz Gold medal, and from concerts performed abroad and in Philadelphia and Boston.

Then another young overachiever, wavy-haired, blue-eyed Hobart Earle was introduced, and it began to look like "Kids' Night Out." While still in his twenties, former Princeton music major Hobart had taken over as conductor of the Ukraine's languishing Odessa Philharmonic Orchestra. Despite the habitual lack of funds (his salary was $50 per month), freezing rehearsal space, and woefully inadequate instruments held together with prayers, his success in re-forming it into a world-class symphony orchestra was the subject of an admiring Reader's Digest article. The Odessa Philharmonic has now toured the globe, and their Odessa String Quartet section has done the same.

Guest Tatiana Dominick delighted Ira by speaking with her in their native Russian. Tatiana, a former ballerina said she would give her own piano to Ira.

Among those enjoying the music and the Ukrainian dinner specialties were Kempton and Lucy Jenkins, John and Suzy Bennison, and Charles and Mary Louise Seilheimer. The group at the dramatically lit swimming pool included Dr. Martin Dunetz, lonely because wife Marta (daughter of the late "Scooter" and Dale Miller) was away in Spain.

The museum, through its founder and chairman Wilhelmina Holladay, honored Mrs. Peters' life-time achievements: more than 500 performances with the Metropolitan; 2000 concerts here and abroad; the first American-born artist to receive Moscow's Bolshoi Opera Medal, and the first American to perform in the People's Republic of China after the Cultural Revolution; she has also sung in the White House for every president since John Kennedy.

Peters' appearance was nostalgic for Lynda and William Webster because she sang at their wedding. Lucky Roosevelt and Judy and Dr. Ahmad Esfandiary listened enraptured. (Judy in a lovely ciel-blue pantsuit topped by a Chanel wrap that was also pure heaven.) Carol Lascaris, who has done so much for the museum, was there with husband Climis, as was Carol's sister Frances, who came with her husband Dr. Alfred Luessenhop. Others included Alexine and Dr. Gordon Jackson, Allison LaLande in a sophisticated black lace pantsuit, and Willee Lewis in a fetching black lace dress, Channel 9's Andrea Roane , Marcia Carlucci, Ginger Green, and Marcia and Martin Feinstein. The ethereally beautiful France Graage, in basic black with a pashmina shawl, was there with her husband Walter. Co-Chairs for the evening were Nini Ferguson and Loraine (Mrs. Chris) Wallace, whose mother-in-law Kappy Leonard, also attended.