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13 November 2020 – Viennese Ball at Ariana Museum, Geneva.

Online registration & table reservations open!

Guest of Honor

Dr. Eduard Strauss, judge. Son of Eduard Strauss II, great-great-grandson of Johann Strauss’s father, great-grandnephew of Johann Strauss’s son, president of the Schola Cantorum Vienna Choir Association, honorary member of the Johann Strauss Society of Great Britain and the Swedish, German and Czech Johann Strauss societies , From 1987 to 1991 president of the Johann Strauss Society Vienna, since 1995 chairman of the Vienna Institute for Strauss Research Association (link) and member of the ball committee of the Vienna Lawyers’ Ball.
                    

The Ariana Museum is situated in the Ariana park, and is the national ceramics and glass museum.

          

The building is just a couple of steps from the Palace of Nations, seat of the United Nations Office in Geneva.

A unique tradition

A unique tradition which goes back to the XVIII century

It was the Emperor Joseph II (1741-1790) who opened the doors of the Imperial Palace of Hofburg on the occasion of the first ball. The traditional Viennese balls have always been an opportunity to combine diplomatic and economic discussions at parties during long winter nights. They were reserved for the aristocracy and the emperor’s private sphere. From this period of the Court there remains a strict and unique label that mingles with the sounds of today to vary the pleasures among which:

  • A majestic setting
  • A strict dress code: tuxedo and long dress
  • Varied orchestras
  • The opening of the ball performed by female debutants in white robes and male debutants in suit & tails
  • The « Alles Walzer ! »  ritual called by the master of the ball, inviting the participants to dance
  • The « Damenwahl » or “Ladies excuse-me”
  • The « Quadrille » dance at midnight
  • The « Last dance” : Brüderlein fein

 

Another unique tradition still continues today: the « Damenspende » a small gift given to every lady as a souvenir of the ball.