HAWAII OPERA THEATRE enthusiasts hosted their own 50th-anniversary kick-off party last week at the Waialae Iki Ridge home of Karen Char and Malcom Tom. Karen is a HOT board director. The party had a “;Die Walkure”; theme along with the opera's iconic warrior woman character. Costumed guests found creative ways to dress the part for HOT's season centerpiece. Jean Rolles really got into it. She appeared in full battle gear, complete with protective breastplate shield, horned helmet, spear and a braided blond wig, and was voted “;Most Ready to Walk on Stage.”;

“;Die Walkure,”; staged by Henry G. Akina, runs Feb. 12, 14 and 16 at Blaisdell Concert Hall. This year's season opened last night with “;Le Nozze di Figaro.”; “;Figaro”; also plays tomorrow at 4 p.m. and Tuesday night at 7:30. “;La Boheme”; runs Feb. 26, 28 and March 2 to wind up this year's season ...

  CHEF George Mavrothalassitis was chosen to cook for 1,010 guests at the Sony Open gala banquet Jan. 14 at the Hawai'i Convention Center. It was a big change from cooking in his 68-seat restaurant. Guests enjoyed selections from the Chef Mavro restaurant menu selected by Sony execs. Mavrothalassitis gathered 60 cooks to join him. Timing had to be strict as Chaka Kahn was scheduled to come on after dinner, and she did as scheduled. Forming the core cooking team with Mavrothalassitis were the full staff from his restaurant, particularly chef de cuisine Kevin Chong. Also from the restaurant were sous-chef Andrew Le, pastry chef Perry Ho, fish cook Mickey Murakami and line cook Megan Haney, plus dozens of talented cooks from the convention center, led by executive chef Douglas Rothenberger and banquet chef Jacob Silver. Food and beverage director Brian Allen was a fab liaison among all parties. “;There was a beautiful collaboration,”; Mavrothalassitis said. ...

CBS' “;60 MINUTES”; focused on American Samoa football players in a Jan. 17 episode, calling gridders Samoa's top export. There are 30 Samoans playing in the NFL and 300 in Division 1 college football. Featured in the “;60 Minutes”; episode were the haka war dance performed before games and National Football League stars Troy Polomalu of Pittsburgh and Jonathan Fanene of Cincinnati ... With the football season just about over, die-hard fans can fight withdrawal by taking in “;The Blind Side.”; It's based on the story of Baltimore offensive tackle Michael Oher, who protects his quarterback from huge linemen charging in to clobber the QB from his blind side on pass plays. Gorgeous Sandra Bullock gives an Academy Award-worthy performance as a wealthy Southern white woman who brings homeless black teenager Oher into her home and makes him part of her family. Besides Bullock, who is a coach and mom in the role, Quinton Aaron stands out as Oher. It's a heart-warming, feel-good movie ...

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Ben Wood, who sold the Star-Bulletin on Honolulu streets in World War II, writes of people, places and things Saturdays. E-mail him at .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address).