Belles up for a new ball game

At the Vienna Opera Ball, Austria's most privileged debutantes represent a generation driven by a social conscience

Members of the opening committee dancing after the opening ceremony of the traditional Vienna Opera Ball in Austria last Thursday.
Members of the opening committee dancing after the opening ceremony of the traditional Vienna Opera Ball in Austria last Thursday. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
Members of the opening committee lining up during the opening ceremony of the Opera Ball.
Members of the opening committee lining up during the opening ceremony of the Opera Ball. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
Russian-Austrian soprano Anna Netrebko (above) and dancers of the State Opera Ballet performing during the opening ceremony at the State Opera.
Russian-Austrian soprano Anna Netrebko (above) and dancers of the State Opera Ballet performing during the opening ceremony at the State Opera. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
Russian-Austrian soprano Anna Netrebko and dancers of the State Opera Ballet (above right) performing during the opening ceremony at the State Opera.
Russian-Austrian soprano Anna Netrebko and dancers of the State Opera Ballet (above right) performing during the opening ceremony at the State Opera. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
(From left) Former United States president Barack Obama’s half-sister, Auma; Austria’s First Lady Doris Schmidauer; President Alexander Van Der Bellen; Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his partner Susanne Thier at the Opera Ball in the Vienna State Opera.
(From left) Former United States president Barack Obama’s half-sister, Auma; Austria’s First Lady Doris Schmidauer; President Alexander Van Der Bellen; Chancellor Sebastian Kurz and his partner Susanne Thier at the Opera Ball in the Vienna State Opera. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
Viennese teacher and debutante Nina-Johanna Stangl says traditions such as the ball have helped her to appreciate the power of core values, especially as an educator.
Viennese teacher and debutante Nina-Johanna Stangl says traditions such as the ball have helped her to appreciate the power of core values, especially as an educator. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes fuelling up with bananaS before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes fuelling up with bananaS before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes putting on final make-up touches before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes putting on final make-up touches before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes adjusting outfits.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes adjusting outfits before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes having their photos taken backstage before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday.
BEHIND THE SCENES: Debutantes having their photos taken backstage before the opening ceremony of the Vienna Opera Ball last Thursday. PHOTOS: DHYLAN BOEY, DPA, EPA-EFE, REUTERS
Dhylan Boey 
Updated
Mar 03, 2019, 05:00 AM
Published
Mar 03, 2019, 05:00 AM
New: Gift this subscriber-only story to your friends and family

"It's the biggest party in Europe and a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," says Ms Viola Li, 21, one of the debutantes at this year's Vienna Opera Ball.

Like other Generation-Z debutantes, she is about to step out in three-quarter time to Carl Michael Ziehrer's Facherpolonaise, a standard score to mark the debutantes' stage entry at the Wiener Staatsoper or Vienna State Opera House.

Already a subscriber? 

Read the full story and more at $9.90/month

Get exclusive reports and insights with more than 500 subscriber-only articles every month

ST One Digital

 $9.90/month

No contract

ST app access on 1 mobile device

Subscribe now

Unlock these benefits

  • All subscriber-only content on ST app and straitstimes.com

  • Easy access any time via ST app on 1 mobile device

  • E-paper with 2-week archive so you won't miss out on content that matters to you

Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on March 03, 2019, with the headline Belles up for a new ball game. Subscribe

Available for
iPhones and iPads
Available in
Google Play

MCI (P) 066/10/2023. Published by SPH Media Limited, Co. Regn. No. 202120748H. Copyright © 2024 SPH Media Limited. All rights reserved.

Back to the top