Vienna Press Release – December 2024
450 balls, one Waltz King: Johann Strauss dominates the 2025 ball season
December 3, 2024 - Vienna, the city of the waltz, has been famous for its legendary balls ever since the Congress of Vienna. More than 450 balls take place in Vienna every year. The Viennese ball season reaches its peak in January and February.
The melodies of the Waltz King, Johann Strauss II, are an integral part of every Viennese ball. His music shaped the Viennese ball scene more than any other. In his day, dance festivals were booming and Strauss himself was a crowd-puller. Many of Vienna’s balls will be focusing on Johann Strauss in 2025 to mark the 200th anniversary of his birth.
The Vienna Opera Ball at the Vienna State Opera is the highlight of the ball season. On February 27, 2025, the opera house will be transformed into the world’s most famous ballroom. The Opera Ball is a major get-together for the Austrian and international worlds of culture, business and politics.
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
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During the opening of the Vienna Opera Ball, young ladies in white dresses and young gentlemen in tailcoats enter the ballroom to the accompaniment of a polonaise, and only once the words “Alles Walzer” are spoken are all the guests allowed onto the dance floor.
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
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The grand staircase of the Vienna State Opera is always packed at the Opera Ball. “See and be seen” is the name of the game here. All eyes are on the opulent ball gowns as the guests arrive.
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Elfenkleid
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The Vienna Opera Ball has a strict dress code. Ladies are required to wear a floor-length evening dress, while gentlemen must wear a black tailcoat with a white bow tie and black patent leather shoes. Here you can see a ball gown designed by the Viennese fashion label Elfenkleid.
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Elfenkleid
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The Hofburg in Vienna hosts a particularly large number of traditional balls: the Kaffeesiederball is regarded as particularly atmospheric and Viennese. An interesting fact: in Vienna, almost every occupational group has its own ball. This ranges from the Ball der Wiener Rauchfangkehrer (Viennese Chimney Sweepers’ Ball) to the Ärzteball (Doctors’ Ball).
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
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The Kaffeesiederball is another traditional Viennese ball with strict rules governing the opening of the ball and the dress code. This ball gown by Viennese designer Eva Poleschinski is a real eye-catcher at the Kaffeesiederball.
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Eva Poleschinski
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In the rooms adjoining the ballroom, the ball guests take a break from dancing and recharge their batteries with refreshments before the next round of waltzing.
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© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Eva Poleschinski
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The Vienna Philharmonic Ball in the world-famous Golden Hall of the Vienna Music Society, famous worldwide for its TV broadcast of the New Year’s Concert, is a ball by artists for artists. The famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the opening, then they leave the stage to other musicians – after all, it’s their ball and they want to dance at it themselves.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
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A couple of Frankfurter sausages (or Sacher sausages, as the extra-long ones are called) are a traditional part of any visit to a ball. It is not unusual for guests to stop off at the Wiener Würstelstand for a sausage after the ball.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Download print-ready version
The Vienna Opera Ball at the Vienna State Opera is the highlight of the ball season. On February 27, 2025, the opera house will be transformed into the world’s most famous ballroom. The Opera Ball is a major get-together for the Austrian and international worlds of culture, business and politics.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Download print-ready version
During the opening of the Vienna Opera Ball, young ladies in white dresses and young gentlemen in tailcoats enter the ballroom to the accompaniment of a polonaise, and only once the words “Alles Walzer” are spoken are all the guests allowed onto the dance floor.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Download print-ready version
The grand staircase of the Vienna State Opera is always packed at the Opera Ball. “See and be seen” is the name of the game here. All eyes are on the opulent ball gowns as the guests arrive.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Elfenkleid
Download print-ready version
The Vienna Opera Ball has a strict dress code. Ladies are required to wear a floor-length evening dress, while gentlemen must wear a black tailcoat with a white bow tie and black patent leather shoes. Here you can see a ball gown designed by the Viennese fashion label Elfenkleid.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Elfenkleid
Download print-ready version
The Hofburg in Vienna hosts a particularly large number of traditional balls: the Kaffeesiederball is regarded as particularly atmospheric and Viennese. An interesting fact: in Vienna, almost every occupational group has its own ball. This ranges from the Ball der Wiener Rauchfangkehrer (Viennese Chimney Sweepers’ Ball) to the Ärzteball (Doctors’ Ball).
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Download print-ready version
The Kaffeesiederball is another traditional Viennese ball with strict rules governing the opening of the ball and the dress code. This ball gown by Viennese designer Eva Poleschinski is a real eye-catcher at the Kaffeesiederball.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Eva Poleschinski
Download print-ready version
In the rooms adjoining the ballroom, the ball guests take a break from dancing and recharge their batteries with refreshments before the next round of waltzing.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer/Couture Eva Poleschinski
Download print-ready version
The Vienna Philharmonic Ball in the world-famous Golden Hall of the Vienna Music Society, famous worldwide for its TV broadcast of the New Year’s Concert, is a ball by artists for artists. The famous Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra plays at the opening, then they leave the stage to other musicians – after all, it’s their ball and they want to dance at it themselves.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Download print-ready version
A couple of Frankfurter sausages (or Sacher sausages, as the extra-long ones are called) are a traditional part of any visit to a ball. It is not unusual for guests to stop off at the Wiener Würstelstand for a sausage after the ball.
–
© WienTourismus/Paul Bauer
Download print-ready version
More photos can be found at foto.wien.info
Contact
Helena Steinharthelena.steinhart@vienna.info
