Editing Vienna Opera Ball (section)

== History ==
The tradition of the ball goes back to 1814 during the time when the crowned heads of Europe and the aristocracy searched for entertainment after the [[Napoleonic wars]]. The first ball in the opera house took place in 1877 as a ''[[Party#Soirées|soirée]]''. The following balls were ''redoute'', a French term for [[masquerade ball]]s or costume parties, where the ladies wore their masks until midnight. From 1878 until 1899, such ''redoute'' balls took place around two to three times a year.

The first ''redoute'' after [[World War I]] took place in 1921, with proceeds going to the pension fund of the two state theaters. These events were called also called ''Opernredoute''.

The first ball to be named "Opera Ball" was held in 1935 under the honorary patronage of the [[Federal Chancellor of Austria|Federal Chancellor]], but was suspended during [[World War II]]. It was revived after the war; it has been held annually ever since, with the exception of 1991, when it was cancelled due to the [[Gulf War|Persian Gulf War]], and 2021 and 2022, both due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]]. Since 2008, Desirée Treichl-Stürgkh has been the chairman (supervising organizer) of the Vienna Opera Ball. It is the highlight of the season, with the heads of state and government, the political and industrial elite, members of the high society, and their guests attending. The price for the entry tickets is the highest of all the Viennese balls.

Starting in 1987, the ''Opernballdemo'' [[:de:Opernballdemo|[de]]], a [[left-wing politics|left-wing]] [[Demonstration (people)|demonstration]] along the [[Ringstraße]] against the kind of [[capitalism]] represented by, as the protesters see it, many of the elite attending the ball, has regularly taken place on the same night. There have been occasional outbreaks of violence. This has almost disappeared since 2011, with protests focusing on the nationalist ''Akademikerball'' instead.

In February 2020 the first same-sex couple were presented as debutante and escort at the ball.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2020/02/05/vienna-opera-ball-debutantes-same-sex-couple-dance-partners-austria-richard-lugner/ |title=The first openly queer couple in 200 years has been accepted to dance at the Vienna Opera Ball |date=5 February 2020 |website=[[PinkNews]] |first=Lily |last=Wakefield}}</ref> The two debutantes, Iris Klopfer and Sophie Grau, were from Germany.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tatler.com/article/first-same-sex-couple-dance-at-vienna-opera-ball |title=The first same-sex couple will dance at this year's Vienna Opera Ball |first=Annabelle |last=Spranklen |magazine=[[Tatler]] |date=5 February 2020}}</ref> Klopfer wore the traditional white dress, [[evening glove|long white gloves]], and tiara typical for female debutantes while Grau, who is [[non-binary]], wore the traditional black suit and tailcoats typical for male escorts.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/feb/04/we-just-want-to-dance-together-say-vienna-balls-first-same-sex-couple |title='We just want to dance together,' say Vienna ball's first same-sex couple |date=4 February 2020 |newspaper=[[The Guardian]] |location=[[London]] |first=Philip |last=Oltermann}}</ref>