{"id":6643,"date":"2025-05-14T12:53:34","date_gmt":"2025-05-14T12:53:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/14\/photos-the-69th-viennese-opera-ball-in-new-york-city\/"},"modified":"2025-05-14T12:53:40","modified_gmt":"2025-05-14T12:53:40","slug":"photos-the-69th-viennese-opera-ball-in-new-york-city","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nationalgunowner.org\/index.php\/2025\/05\/14\/photos-the-69th-viennese-opera-ball-in-new-york-city\/","title":{"rendered":"PHOTOS: The 69th Viennese Opera Ball in New York City"},"content":{"rendered":"
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H.H. Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe and Luiza Petra. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The 69th annual Viennese Opera Ball once again transformed Cipriani 42nd Street into a gilded portal to imperial Vienna, channeling Old World glamour, but with a modern mission. Billed as the oldest Austrian charity ball outside of Austria (and the most prestigious Viennese ball beyond Vienna\u2019s city limits), the annual event draws a singular mix of philanthropists, diplomats, business elites, politicians and society mainstays. This year\u2019s edition, under the direction of co-chairs Jean Shafiroff<\/a><\/b> and Denise Rich<\/a><\/b> with vice chairs Peter Thomas Roth<\/b> and Lola Abigail Koch<\/b>, celebrated the 200th anniversary of Johann Strauss II, the \u201cWaltz King\u201d who turned the Viennese waltz into an international art form. More than just another velvet-rope gathering, this particular pretty party raised money for the music therapy program at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with support from Gabrielle\u2019s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, adding noblesse to a noble soir\u00e9e.<\/p>\n

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The debs arrive. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The night began with the traditional and much-anticipated presentation of white-clad debutantes and their tuxedoed escorts, introduced to society via a stately waltz choreographed by Sandra Stockmayer<\/a><\/b> with the Svabek Dance School. Officers in the U.S. Army then presented the Colors, adding a touch of patriotic flair to the proceedings, before an orchestral tribute to Strauss conducted by Rainer M. Sulzgruber<\/a><\/b> and led by artistic director Daniel Serafin<\/a><\/b>. From there, the program put the \u2018opera\u2019 in Viennese Opera Ball, with a lineup of international vocal luminaries from the Metropolitan Opera, including Mar\u00eda Barakova<\/b>, Mikayla Sager<\/a><\/b>, Daniel Berryman<\/a><\/b>, Aigul Akhmetshina<\/a><\/b>, Maritina Tampakopoulos<\/a><\/b>, Adam Smith<\/a><\/b>, Johanna Will<\/a><\/b> and two-time Grammy Award winner J\u2019Nai Bridges<\/b>, who filled the hall with selections from Strauss\u2019s best-loved works.<\/p>\n

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The iconic Sisi\u2019s Stars. Roman Gorbun Photography<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The assembled crowd was particularly enthralled by Christine Shevchenko<\/a><\/b>, principal dancer with the American Ballet Theatre, who appeared adorned in Sisi\u2019s Stars\u2014the historic jewelry of Empress Elisabeth of Austria, sent especially by famed Austrian jeweler Koechert. She was joined by young ballerinas from Youth America Grand Prix in Waltz<\/i>, a new piece choreographed by Arsen Mehrabyan<\/a> of the Royal Swedish Ballet. The piece captured the romantic tension and elegance of Strauss\u2019s music, and left attendees\u2014among them philanthropist and arts patron Elizabeth Segerstrom<\/a><\/b>, television personality Star Jones<\/b>, New York real estate mogul Janna Bullock<\/a><\/b>, \u201cChocolate Queen\u201d Maribel Lieberman<\/a><\/b>, working royal Prince Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe<\/b>, Austrian politician Peter Hanke<\/a><\/b>, President of the Vienna State Parliament Ernst Woller<\/b> and Austrian Ambassador to the United States Dr. Petra Schneebauer<\/a><\/b>\u2014utterly spellbound.<\/p>\n

Following a multi-course Viennese-inspired dinner paired with Austrian wines and a successful silent auction, the mood shifted from reverent to festive as guests swirled onto the dance floor to waltz before the traditional midnight Quadrille, led by costumed instructors, brought everyone together in a whirlwind of joyous precision.<\/p>\n

Christine Shevchenko with the dancers of YAGP<\/h3>\n
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Christine Shevchenko with the dancers of YAGP. Roman Gorbun Photography<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Star Jones<\/h3>\n
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Star Jones. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Jean Shafiroff and Denise Rich<\/h3>\n
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Jean Shafiroff and Denise Rich. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Liliana Cavendish<\/h3>\n
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Liliana Cavendish. Roman Gorbun Photography<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sabine Riglos<\/h3>\n
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Sabine Riglos. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

J\u2019Nai Bridges<\/h3>\n
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J\u2019Nai Bridges. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Anton David and David Alexander Jenkins<\/h3>\n
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Anton David and David Alexander Jenkins. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Silvia Frieser<\/h3>\n
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Silvia Frieser. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The much-anticipated first waltz<\/h3>\n
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The much-anticipated first waltz. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Derin Sezercan and Lulu Sezercan Dalkanat<\/h3>\n
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Derin Sezercan and Lulu Sezercan Dalkanat. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Katya Tolstova<\/h3>\n
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Katya Tolstova. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Sam Berry<\/h3>\n
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Sam Berry. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Michael Spinks and Jean Shafiroff<\/h3>\n
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Michael Spinks and Jean Shafiroff. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nick Jacobs and Juliana Dancanet<\/h3>\n
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Nick Jacobs and Juliana Dancanet. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Rolise Rachel and David Hochberg<\/h3>\n
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Rolise Rachel and David Hochberg. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Mirabel Lieberman<\/h3>\n
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Mirabel Lieberman. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Norah Lawlor<\/h3>\n
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Norah Lawlor. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Youth American Grand Prix takes flight<\/h3>\n
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Youth American Grand Prix takes flight. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Maria Barakova<\/h3>\n
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Maria Barakova. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Kathrin Palm and Ulo Palm<\/h3>\n
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Kathrin Palm and Ulo Palm. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Silvia Frieser and Christine Shevchenko<\/h3>\n
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Silvia Frieser and Christine Shevchenko. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Lauren Marie<\/h3>\n
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Lauren Marie. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Shaquille Rodriguez<\/h3>\n
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Shaquille Rodriguez. Jiraurd Key\/BFA.com<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

\t\t\t\t\"White<\/p><\/div>\n