Johann Strauss Will Dominate the Opening of Vienna Opera Ball 2025
The Opera Ball on February 27th will be entirely dedicated to Johann Strauss. To appropriately honour the 200th birthday of the Waltz King, almost exclusively works by the composer will be played at the opening of the 67th edition of the festival. "This also fits the Opera Ball," says Opera Director Bogdan Roščić.
Vienna Opera Ball: Only one piece at the opening not by Strauss
Performances will be given by Nadine Sierra, Juan Diego Flórez, Maria Nazarova, and Daniel Jenz. The program includes the "Csárdás" from Knight Pásmán, the waltz "Voices of Spring" and "All masked" from "A Night in Venice". The only piece not by Johann Strauss at the opening - namely "Bella Enamorada" from "El último romántico" by Reveriano Soutullo and Juan Vert Cornelius Meister - is tailor-made for Juan Diego Flórez. "This is musically the maximum that is possible for a Latin Lover," the director also emphasized.
The ballet also pays tribute to the Waltz King. Martin Schläpfer, ballet director and chief choreographer of the Vienna State Ballet, has implemented the "Emperor Waltz" for the Vienna State Ballet. Schläpfer has been "fascinated by the Emperor Waltz for some time". The chief choreographer spoke of a dance situation "between exuberant and deeply saddened. I think Vienna is really hit." For the first time, the ensemble will perform together with the students of the in-house ballet school.
The floral decoration is particularly lush this year. Maryam Yeganehfar, together with Emil Doll, has deliberately moved away from the "monotony" of the decor of previous years. This year, the two are focusing on a "diverse, colourful, lush world of colours". In addition to flowers, fruit and vegetables have also been incorporated into the decoration. "At 3:00 am we will make a minestrone and a fruit salad," said Yeganehfar.
Vienna Opera Ball again sets a sign for social responsibility
This year, the Opera Ball will again set a sign for social responsibility: With the purchase of the tickets (surcharge of 35 euros per ticket) and the consumption at the ball (ten percent surcharge on the gastronomy revenues), "Austria helps Austria" will be supported again. "This adds up to a substantial six-figure sum," says the director.
The ORF will again provide the broadcast of the festival into domestic living rooms - and probably achieve a top rating again. As ORF Director General Roland Weißmann said, the Opera Ball only competes with two other broadcasts for the first place in the highest viewing figures of the year. Mirjam Weichselbraun, Teresa Vogl, Andi Knoll, Marion Benda and, for the first time, Silvia Schneider on the Red Carpet will guide through the evening. Karl Hohenlohe and Christoph Wagner-Trenkwitz will once again provide pointed comments.
(APA/Red)
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