The organisers of this year’s Opera Ball are promising a fairytale romantic evening. This year’s star guest, the pianist Richard Clayderman, who Nancy Reagan named the “prince of romance” some years back, will entertain the guests of the 13th Opera Ball on 2 February.
Magical fairies, flowers, butterflies, hussars, Empress Sissi and Emperor Franz Joseph should help to create the fairytale atmosphere in the neo-romantic
Gundel Restaurant, which has catered for the Opera Ball for years now, will take guests on a culinary tour of the world of fairy tales with fanciful creations like “Sleeping Beauty’s dream”.
The Cinderella programme launched last year also ties in with the fairytale theme. For the second time Budapesti Operabál Kft. is taking applications from young women who don’t have the means, but who would still love to attend the Opera Ball. In 2007, the organisers played the fairy godmother to five Cinderellas and provided the chosen women, aged between 20 and 30, with dresses, shoes, professional make up and even a few dancing lessons. “It was a nice feeling to make the girls’ dreams come true. Last year’s Cinderellas grew very close to my heart,” says Nóra Korcsmáros, the long-standing hostess of the Budapest Opera Ball, who is already looking forward to choosing the next Cinderellas. This year, however, the Cinderellas will be taken by carriage, rather than by limousine.
This year guests will also be indulged as though they were real kings and queens: “Professionals will be on hand to attend to people’s hair and make up, legs tired from dancing and to make emergency clothing repairs. Hairdressers, stylists, dressmakers and masseurs will be available,” explains Korcsmáros.
According to Ákos Maráczi, director of Budapesti Operabál Kft., 80% of the tickets have already been sold. Entrance tickets cost HUF 75,000 (EUR 295), tickets to a special room with dinner included cost HUF150,000 (EUR 590) and box tickets likewise with dinner cost HUF 300,000 (EUR 1,180).
For more information see: www.operabal.com
