December 9 [7:55 EDT] -- Madonna, Elton John, and Sting were among the friends joining the Versace family Monday night at New York's Metropolitan Museum, whose annual costume ball signaled the opening of a retrospective for the late fashion designer.

There were reports that Madonna would perform at Monday's event, but she ended up not singing. Instead, Sting took a break from filming "Lock, Stock, And 2 Smoking Barrels," which is set in the London underworld and being produced by George Harrison's Handmade Films, to attend the gala. Versace designed his-and-hers wedding ensembles when the ex-Police-man married Trudi Styler. Sting is expected to have a new album out sometime next year.

As for Madonna, her next album is due in March, and we're told it will have a pronounced trip-hop feel. There's also word that she may tour to promote it, which would mark her first tour since her three-city "Girlie Show" tour in 1993.