On Friday, May 12, 2023, the 67th Vienna Opera Ball took place in New York City at the famous Plaza Hotel. “Despite their differences – the fast pace and modernity of New York in contrast to the traditional cultural capital Vienna – we can see a close friendship between the two cities,” said Executive City Councilor of Vienna Peter Hanke who led a large delegation to NYC for bilateral talks.

In turn, Commissioner for International Affairs of NYC Edward Mermelstein offered Mayor Adams’s greetings to the attendees while outing himself as a Vienna fan since as a child, he escaped soviet Ukraine to freedom via Vienna together with his family.

After an impressive opening choreography by the debutantes and their escorts to the tunes of Bizet’s opera “Carmen,” followed by some waltzing, the dance floor was instantly packed once the traditional call for “Alles Walzer” (literally “Everybody waltz”) was heard.

As the musical “entrée” of the evening, Ball guests were treated by tenor Stephen Costello, soprano Joyce El-Khoury, and soprano Nathalie Peña-Comas to more tunes of Carmen, the musical theme of the evening. The classical opera ball was rounded off by a typical midnight quadrille and an after party that lasted until the late night.