67th Viennese Opera Ball

On Friday, May 12th, under the auspices of the U.S. Austrian Chamber of Commerce 400 diplomats, dignitaries, debutantes, their escorts, and other prestigious guests celebrated The Viennese Opera Ball at the iconic Plaza Hotel in New York City. Founded by Austrians immigrating to New York, the White Tie charity Gala celebrates the cultural and economic relationships between Austria and America. 

Each year, the Viennese Opera Ball organized by Executive Director, Silvia Frieser, The Event Atelier supports charitable projects that connect the two cities. This year the gala benefitted the music therapy program at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center with the support of Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research. The night was inspired by ‘Carmen’, the musical by Bizet led under the artistic direction of Daniel Serafin with Austrian conductor, Maestro Vinicius Kattah with a renowned orchestra. Guests were entertained by performances by Metropolitan opera singer Tenor Stephen Costello, George Gagnidze, internationally accomplished opera singers Sopran Joyce El-Khoury, Sopran Nathalie Peña Comas, and opera star George Gagnidze, who attended as an Honorary guest. The evening also included ballet performances and a presentation of Colors by Midshipmen from the US Naval Academy from the West Point color guard. A midnight Quadrille ‘Carmen” was choreographed by Eduard Strauss and designed for the debutantes and escorts by Vienna Dance School Svabek, headed by Sandra Stockmayer and Roman Svabek.

The Gala chairs for the evening were philanthropist Jean Shafiroff, who was also honored, and Denise Rich. This gala benefitted Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research The vice chairs were Sylvia Hemingway and Peter Thomas Roth. 

Notable Attendees included: Petra Schneebauer, Austrian Ambassador to the United States; Alexander Marschik, Ambassador Permanent Mission of Austria to the United Nations; Commissioner Mermelstein, Kristen Edgreen Kaufman also of the Mayor’s Office of International Affairs, Peter Hanke Executive City Councilor, City of Vienna; Stefan Ottrubay, Norbert Kettner, Director, Vienna Tourism Board; Gudrun Senk, Gerhard Hirczi, Christian Frey, Julian Jäger, Franz Patay, Helmut Schoba, Michael Trestl, Diana Klein, Wolfgang Koechert, Peter Hasslacher, Austrian Trade Commissioner New York, Susanne Keppler-Schlesinger, Helmut Schoba, Franz Patay, Christian Struppeck, Ingrid Flick, Klaus Panholzer  of Schloss Schönbrunn, Agnieszka & Witold Balaban, Carolin Sinemus, Martin Shafiroff, Sabine Riglos, Maribel Lieberman, Janna Bullock, David Hochberg, Carolyn Maloney, Nicole Miller, Elton Ilirjani, Lucia Hwong Gordon, Lady Liliana Cavendish, Dr. Anetta Reszko, Patrick McMullan, Luisa Diaz, Cole Rumbough and Emily Mohr.