Enjoying the Culture 179AIDS research. This is an offbeat ball for those who like to
make wild and crazy fashion statements for a good cause.
High schools and dance schools also organise balls.
The Opera Ball is the highlight of the Viennese ball circuit.
On the eve of Lent or Fasching, the opera house is magically
transformed into a sumptuous dance hall. Rows upon rows
of chairs are removed from the audience section, and in
their place a dance floor emerges. Those who can afford a
ticket dress in their best: a long evening gown for the women
and black suits with tails for the men. The attendees wait
with bated breath to see which famous star the self-made
millionaire Richard Lugner will bring with him to the ball.
Outside the opera house, as in decades gone by, people
peacefully protest the extravagance of the event.
Debutantes in white gowns and their young tuxedoed
escorts open each ball with a dance. They walk onstage in
an orderly fashion, showing off their outfits, and then dance
a waltz. When they go offstage, everyone else may begin to
dance. If you are at a popular ball, it may be difficult even to
dance because the dance floor is that crowded.
Anyone with a ticket can go to the balls. Prices differ
based on whether you want to sit at a table, have a meal
(if served), or just dance all night, but you can expect to
pay around € 50 per ticket. Most balls are advertised with
ticketing information included. A ball pamphlet, available at
information centres, lists all the balls lined up for the year.
As you buy your ticket, be sure to ask about the dress code.
Not all balls require long gowns and suits with tails. Julie has
been to several where women wore short dresses and men
wore off-black or gray suits.
Theatre
You’ll need a good command of German to enjoy one of the
most celebrated German-language theatres, the Burgtheater.
Located on the Ring, this theatre is visually spectacular and
boasts some of the best German plays and actors in the world.
It is said that a German-speaking actor has not ‘made it’ until
he or she has performed at the Burgtheater.
The Akademietheater, located at the Konzerthaus, is