THE CROWD:

It was the party of the year.

The Orange County Performing Artscenter’s 34th Annual Candlelight Concert and Candlelight Encore Presentation managed to impress a crowd that is hard to impress, especially after three decades of producing what has become the hallmark of holiday celebrations on the California Riviera.

Each season it is hard to imagine how the organizers and volunteers can top the previous year. Last week in Segerstrom Hall, event chair Patricia Poss — escorted by her husband, Charlie Poss — pulled out all the stops.

Donors were wide-eyed and gasping for air at the magnificence of the surprises that Poss and committee had in store. This season the evening was a virtual New York white Christmas in Costa Mesa.

The elegant crowd arrived to find a white carpet runway into the Performing Artscenter. Guests were thrown off guard as they were directed to enter Segerstrom Hall from the back of the orchestra seating section.

The entire venue was transformed. Designers had extended the stage out over the orchestra and created a multi-tiered white dance floor.

Tables were elegantly covered in white cloths with sheer champagne overlays, and chair covers were of soft fine white suede, floral centerpieces of white on cream on gold were surrounded by tall white candelabras designed to resemble white pillars.

The ultra-contemporary setting was created by Steve Norton Perspectives of San Diego. Giant screens were erected projecting images of Times Square, Broadway and vistas of Manhattan. The crowd was absolutely stunned by the theatrical effects of the evening.

A cocktail reception featuring the very popular Ketel One Vodka luge attracted the crowd on arrival.

Soon guests were in their seats in Segerstrom Hall awaiting the performance by Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons.

The entertainer, who has enjoyed a renewed career thanks to the success of the Broadway musical “Jersey Boys,” based on his life, took many of the women in attendance back to their teenage years.

Believe it or not, following the private concert, many of the O.C.’s most sophisticated gals, dressed to kill, rushed the white stage screaming and cheering for Frankie Valli. Old romantic memories die hard.

The enthusiasm was infectious. Many of Valli’s hit songs are ingrained in the minds of 1960s teenagers and young adults.

If that was not enough, as the crowd found their places on stage following the Valli performance, two more very talented performers, John Pizzarelli and Jessica Molaskey, appeared on scene as three giant disco balls descended above the stage to create a 1970s disco feeling reminiscent of New York’s famed Studio 54.

Pat Poss and her committee renamed the moment as Studio 34 in honor of the Candlelight Concert’s 34th anniversary event.

Celebrity sightings in the glamorous crowd included the stunning actress Raquel Welch wearing a dramatic Donna Karan gown. Welch mingled with another celeb on the radar screen, will.i.am, from the group Black Eyed Peas, who was also in attendance. Both stars were the guests of one of the evening’s sponsors, Donna Karan.

Also sponsoring Candlelight Concert were Marche Moderne, Maybach Automobiles, Mercedes-Benz, Ketel One Vodka and South Coast Plaza, among others.

Enjoying a scrumptious dinner featuring an entrée selection of either beef or salmon Wellington catered by The Patina Group, the crowd table-hopped, visiting longtime friends and associates.

Among the glitterati were Howard and Roberta Ahmanson; Alex and Barbara Bowie; the very chic Gail Bronson Boyd;John and Jennifer Condas; honorary co-chair Sally Crockett and husband, Randy of Pelican Point; fellow co-chair Carol Wilken and husband, Kent;James and Patricia Edwards, Robert and Carole Follman; Michael and Ellie Gordon; Larry and Dee Higby; Richard and Virginia Hunsaker;Roger and Gail Kirwan;Thomas and Judy McKernan; Peter and Mary Rabbit; and Ron and Sandi Simon.

Also supporting Candlelight Concert were Tom and Marilyn Sutton, Tom and Joyce Tucker, Margaret Richardson, Elizabeth Vincent, George and Nancy Wall, Byron and Ronnie Allumbaugh and Ambassador George and Julia Argyros.

Candlelight Encore this season was chaired with grand style by Newport’s super-dedicated Jan Landstrom with assistance from co-chair Hope Miller.

Both evenings will contribute an impressive $1.3 million net to the bottom-line operating costs of the Orange County Performing Artscenter.

Bravo!

THE CROWD runs Thursdays and Saturdays.