Chicago Austrian Ball

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The Origins of the "Vienna Opera Ball"…

The primary state of the rich, the beautiful and wannabees of Vienna. It is the peak of the ball season which starts on the 11th of November and ends with Shrove Tuesday or Mardi Gras in February. The opera ball takes place on the Thursday before Shrove Tuesday and is the most important ball in the city that has approximately 800 former balls each season.

The first time that a ball was organized in today's Staatsoper Building was in 1877. This event was followed by many similar ones during the decadent days of the Austrian-Hungarian empire. After WWI, the tradition of arranging balls did not come to a halt despite the difficult economic situation. In 1935 the first official Vienna opera ball was organized with the profits going to a charity. It was a successful event and was continued in the following years. After WWII the first opera ball of the second Republic was held in 1956 and became an annual event. Vienna opera ball is very posh and can be extremely expensive. A normal “starter” ticket is affordable even for ordinary people, but boxes require a large-scale financial sacrifice period to get one of these boxes on the ground floor where the higher floor is, you must be of benefactor of the opera (donations of approximately €40,000 a year) and pay an additional fee. The less prestigious stage boxes go for €16,000 each. Despite such breathtaking fares, the boxes are usually sold-out months in advance and considered a noble venture for a business or the wealthy to invite clients or friends to their own box.

Info: Cocktails served by cash bar in The French Room, with light appetizers passed

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

The Drake, 140 East Walton Place, Chicago, United States

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