Inside the 69th Annual Viennese Opera Ball at Cipriani 42nd Street
In a grand celebration of heritage, music, and philanthropic spirit, the 69th Annual Viennese Opera Ball returned to New York City on May 9th, 2025. Held at the iconic Cipriani 42nd Street, the gala brought Viennese grandeur to the heart of Manhattan for one of the most spectacular evenings on the city’s social calendar. This year’s Ball was especially poignant as it honored the 200th anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss II, the legendary “Waltz King,” whose timeless compositions continue to enchant audiences around the globe.
The black-tie affair was co-chaired by philanthropists Jean Shafiroff and Denise Rich, and carried a powerful purpose: raising funds for Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research and music therapy at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. In keeping with its longstanding tradition, the Ball exemplified the power of culture to drive meaningful change.
The evening opened with the traditional presentation of debutantes and their escorts, choreographed by Sandra Stockmayer of Vienna’s renowned Svabek Dance School. This elegant introduction was followed by a spellbinding ballet performance featuring Christine Shevchenko, Principal Dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, alongside rising talents from the Rock School of Dance and the Youth America Grand Prix, with support from the Ballet Support Foundation.
Opera lovers were treated to a breathtaking lineup of vocal performances that elevated the event to its namesake prestige. The night featured Grammy Award-winning mezzo-soprano J’Nai Bridges, María Barakova, Adam Smith, Mikayla Sager, Daniel Berryman, Aigul Akhmetshina, Maritina Tampakopoulos, and Johanna Will, whose rich voices echoed through the historic venue, creating an atmosphere of sublime enchantment.
As guests dined on a sumptuous Viennese-inspired menu paired with fine Austrian wines, the evening continued with dancing to Strauss waltzes performed by the Viennese Opera Ball Orchestra under the direction of Maestro Rainer Sulzgruber. The traditional midnight Quadrille added a festive burst of choreography and charm, leading into an afterparty complete with a DJ set and late-night Austrian bites.
The Ball drew an impressive roster of international dignitaries, cultural icons, and high-society luminaries. Notable guests included Austrian Ambassador Petra Schneebauer, Austrian Consul-General Thomas Schlesinger and Susanne Keppler-Schlesinger of the Austrian Cultural Forum NY, Stefan Ottrubay of the Esterházy Foundation, and Ernst Woller, President of the Vienna Provincial Parliament. Other high-profile attendees included Julia Haart, Carolin Sinemus (designer of Madl, Salzburg), Elizabeth Segerstrom, TV personality Star Jones, William and Liliana Cavendish, Michael Spinks, Mario-Max Schaumburg-Lippe, and Lulu Sezercan Dalkanat.
The evening also spotlighted artistic contributions from both Austrian and international talents, including works by painters Pablo Meier-Schomburg, Marlies Wagner, Camillo Stepanek, FJ Baur, Eva Petrič, and New York-based artist Fer Da Silva. Generous sponsorship from the City of Vienna, Austrian Airlines, Erste Group Bank AG, the Esterházy Foundation, and others ensured that the evening was as impactful as it was glamorous.
Since its founding in 1955, the Viennese Opera Ball continues to build bridges between continents and generations, offering a rare glimpse of 19th-century European tradition amidst the modern-day buzz of the city that never sleeps.
