The police cordon off the area around the opera house on the night, now, for security and traffic management purposes.Īfter barely a whisper in recent years, the “traditional” demonstration returned in 2023 with a nearby protest against social injustice and a red carpet banner urging action on the climate emergency. In the past, the event attracted sizeable demonstrations, some protesting against the ball itself as a symbol of elitism, others using the moment as a suitable opportunity to rail against, for example, the government, inequality, or a particular ball guest. Not everyone has always viewed the Opernball with admiration, however. And international glamour usually puts in an appearance: the likes of Ellie MacPherson, Lily James, Melanie Griffith, Jane Fonda, Goldie Hawn, Brooke Shields, and Pamela Anderson have all been spotted in recent years. (Clearing away the day after the ball) Celebrity guestsĪnother “tradition” of a kind is the appearance of various celebrities that even non-Austrians would recognise.Īustria’s President, Chancellor and selected ministers often invite foreign dignitaries. Today’s ball is a landmark in the city’s annual calendar and a live TV spectacular scenes from the Opernball belong to the enduring global image of Vienna.

The optimists (already in the majority) celebrated a brilliant victory over the pessimists… The arguments concerning the Opernball’s likely success and whether its existence was justified were already settled half an hour before the start. Reviewing that first ball, the Die Bühne magazine wrote (my rough translation):

The first Wiener Opernball took place in the Staatsoper in 1935, but built on a history of balls and similar events held by the court or national opera house. I’d like to offer an in-person review, but I’m still saving up for a ticket (only half-joking). The switch takes around 30 hours and up to 500 workers. Then invite the upper echelons of politics, business and society, and put everything into one of the world’s top and most historic opera houses.Ĭongratulations…you now have the Wiener Opernball (Vienna Opera Ball).įor one night only, the auditorium of Vienna’s Staatsoper converts into an elegant giant ballroom. And about 1000 champagne buckets (that’s a real number, not poetic exaggeration).

Dress code for vienna opera house