About the Philharmonic Ball
In some parts of the world, the season leading up to Lent is marked by raucous street parades, and wild and excessive costume parties. In Vienna, however, one celebrates by attiring oneself as elegantly as possible and dancing the night through at one or more of the many opulent and extravagant balls which are hosted by various organizations, guilds and institutions throughout the city.
Starting on the eleventh day of the eleventh month the winter ball season officially opens, and from this point on, until the fasting season begins, Vienna's ball calendar becomes increasingly crowded with one such event after another. Once a year during this festive season, Vienna's "Musikvereinssaal" transforms itself from a venerated concert auditorium into an elegant dance hall, and provides a stunning backdrop for the Vienna Philharmonic Ball, an event which has been a highlight of "Fasching" in Vienna for several decades.
The first Philharmonic Ball was held in 1924, and had the specific goal of raising money for the orchestra's pension fund, which had been obliterated by inflation in the aftermath of World War I. After years of hopelessness, it was also an expression of the country's new optimism in regard to the future, and a reflection of the increased standing of the musicians of the orchestra within the society. This first ball, a great success in all respects, set precedents which the ball committee has maintained to this day. The ball was held annually from 1924 to 1930. After a hiatus from 1931 to 1949, the ball resumed again and became a permanent highlight of the season's festivities. All together it has now been held sixty-five times, and was cancelled only once, in 1991, due to the Gulf War.
The "Musikverein" is not only the orchestra's artistic home, but serves as a magnificent venue for hosting the orchestra's annual ball as well. The Golden Hall and the entire building are decorated with countless floral arrangements to provide a festive atmosphere for the proceedings, and the seats on the main level are removed to form a large dance floor. Every year, the President of Austria is the honorary patron, and members of the Austrian government as well as the governors and mayors of Vienna and Salzburg belong to the honorary committee. Before the opening of each ball, members of the Philharmonic welcome all of the ladies in attendance with a special gift. Anton Wildgans, prominent Austrian poet and director of Vienna's Burgtheater, authored a poem for the ball booklet which was presented to the ladies on that very first evening in 1924. His prologue begins with the introductory words to the orchestra "The homeland loves you, the world honors you", and this tribute has remained over the years an unofficial "Ode to the Philharmonic".
The first highlight of the evening's festivities is the ceremonial opening in the Golden Hall. The areas around the main floor and on the upper level fill an hour beforehand with guests securing for themselves a good vantage point from which to view the proceedings. Richard Strauss, who collaborated artistically with the orchestra for many years, composed a festive fanfare for the first ball in 1924, and this work has been performed at every ball since that time. When the brass players of the Philharmonic begin the fanfare from the balcony overlooking the hall, the entrance of the guests of honor begins. At the head of this very long procession is the Matron of the Ball, escorted by the evening's Honorary Conductor. In contrast to its concerts, the Philharmonic sits in the middle of the dance floor on this occasion, in order to make room on the stage for the guests of honor, which include numerous luminaries from the world of art, politics, and society, as well as supporters of the orchestra who comprise the membership of the ball's Patronage and Honorary Committee. Many prominent individuals have belonged to this committee since the inception of this event, including Hugo von Hoffmansthal, Erich Wolfgang Korngold, Lotte Lehmann, Franz Schalk, Leo Slezak and Richard Strauss at pre-war balls, and Barbara Bonney, Montserrat Caballet, Jose Carreras, Gottfried von Einem, Placido Domingo, Marcel Prawy, Samuel Ramey and Bo Skovhus, as well as many other artists, in more recent years.
Once all prominent guests are seated, the evening's Honorary Conductor leads the Philharmonic in a performance of a popular morsel from the orchestra's repertoire. In the past, conductors who are regular guests of the subscription concert series, such as Claudio Abbado, Leonard Bernstein, Karl Böhm, Willi Boskovsky, Placido Domingo, Sir John Eliot Gardiner, Carlo Maria Giulini, Herbert von Karajan, Carlos Kleiber, Clemens Krauss, Lorin Maazel, Zubin Mehta , Riccardo Muti, Seiji Ozawa, Sir Simon Rattle, Sir Georg Solti, and others, have discharged this duty.
Following this musical treat, the Philharmonic clears the floor while a group of debutantes and their partners make their entrance to officially begin the dancing. Young ladies of at least 17 years of age, in floor length white ball gowns, and young men of at least 18, in black tails, promenade into the hall to the traditional sounds of a polonaise by Chopin or Ziehrer. Specially selected dancers from this group then perform an appealing dance number which is choreographed and rehearsed by the evening's Master of Dance. The selecting and supervision of these dancers is just one of the many delicate duties of the Matron of the Ball. This honorary function was carried out by Mrs. Maria Mautner-Markhof from 1949-1980, and by Mrs. Elisabeth Waldheim from 1985-86. Between 1981-84 and 1987-89 the position was not filled, but since 1990, Mrs. Eva Angyan has been Matron of the Ball, and is occupied throughout the year with many organizational details, most importantly in regard to the ball's opening ceremonies. For many years, Mrs. Lucie Bräuer-Fränzl, former soloist with the Vienna State Opera Ballet, provided the choreography for the opening procession and waltz. In 2000, Mr. Thomas Schäfer Elmayer, of Vienna's well known Elmayer-Vestenbrugg School of Dance, assumed these responsibilities as Master of Dance. Other duties of the Master of Dance include directing the joint quadrille at midnight, which is repeated at 2 AM. He also speaks the only official words of the evening, at the close of the opening ceremonies, when he proclaims "Alles Walzer!", inviting all ball guests to join in waltzing with the debutantes on the main floor. Quickly guests mix in and form a symbiosis in the enjoyment of the whirling Viennese waltz amid a resplendent setting and the atmosphere filled with the unrestrained exuberance of a sumptuous night at the ball.
Throughout the evening, the center of the ball remains the Golden Hall. During the rest of the year one of the finest concert halls in the world, the hall is dedicated on this one night exclusively to ballroom dancing. A large ball orchestra provides a steady stream of Viennese waltzes and polkas, and is relieved periodically by a modern big band, swinging with a more contemporary beat to add variety. For many years now, the "Grosser Wiener Ballorchester" under the direction of Helmut Steubl has played the traditional dances, while bands such as James Last, Max Greger, Hugo Strasser, Ambros Seelos, The Pasadena Roof Orchestra and others have provided up-to-date sounds for a super-charged atmosphere.
The action is in no way confined to the Golden Hall, however. In the smaller rooms and halls of the building, where throughout the year world famous artists perform, one can take a rest from the dancing and enjoy the company of old and new friends. In the Gottfried von Einem Saal there is the effervescent Bösendorfer Bar, and various buffets provide necessary sustenance throughout the night. There is a romantic Viennese "Heuriger" as well as the new discothek in the Metallic Hall. Food and drink are provided by the Viennese caterer Gerstner.
Around 5 AM the ball orchestra softly intones the slow waltz "Brüderlein Fein", and the light of the large crystal chandeliers begins to slowly fade. The numerous guests who have remained through to the end sense a touch of sorrow at the realization that a magical night is drawing to a close. With the very last waltz, usually Lehar's "Gold und Silber", this wisp of melancholy passes, and everyone begins to look with anticipation toward next year's ball.
The Vienna Philharmonic will be looking forward to seeing you there, too!
Photo Gallery Philharmonic Ball |
