Vienna Opera Ball

It is the most prestigious dance in Vienna and is known for its elegance and luxury. The Vienna Opera Ball is also

a symbol of tradition. It is a ritual for young people to enter the social circle and a feast for the media. A total of

5,500 people participated in the opera dance held on February 23, 2017. The participants were mostly ordinary

people, but there were also many newly elected Austrian President Van der Belen and other political and

business celebrities. The regular ticket for the ball is 290 euros, the table for the 6-person table is 1,200 euros,

and the box seat is from 10,000 euros to 20,000 euros. It is hard to get a ticket for the ball.

The Vienna Opera Ball is a unique cultural landscape between Vienna and Austria. It is also known as the Austrian “Three National Treasures” with the Vienna New Year Concert and the Spanish Riding School. Held once a year. With more than 200 years of history, during the Second World War, the Vienna State Opera was interrupted by war and destruction for 16 years. It resumed after World War II. Every year from November to March is the traditional dance season in Vienna. During this period, about 450 dances will be held, varying in scale and characteristics. The Opera Ball is the finale of the prom season.

The annual Vienna Opera Ball dances in the light dance of hundreds of young men and women. They played before the audience danced freely. All the ladies wore small diamond-encrusted headwear, dressed in a white evening gown, and men wore black tuxedos. Austrian politicians celebrities, members of the royal family, giants Fu Jia and stars from all walks of life sat in a new decorated box, leisurely watching the crowd dancing in the dance floor.

"Danube Waltz"

As an indispensable dance music at the Vienna Ball, the "Blue Danube Waltz" by the Austrian composer Johann

Strauss is a must. It is known as the Austrian informal national anthem and is a must-have for almost all Austrian

orchestras. Usually in Vienna, people affectionately call it "Danube Waltz".

The Blue Danube Waltz is known as the first popular piece in music history. The success of this waltz made Little

John Strauss, like the music masters such as Haydn, Mozart, Beethoven and Schubert, the golden sign of Vienna,

the capital of music, and played a role in the dance culture of Vienna.

February 15 this year is the 150th anniversary of the birth of the Blue Danube Waltz (No. 314). The library in the

Vienna City Hall hosted a special exhibition entitled “The Danube, How Blue – John Strauss' Blue Danube 150

Years”, which is free to the public from February 15th to May 12th. Through historical documents, music scores,

different versions of recordings and the latest research results, viewers can feel the charm and influence of this

piece of music.