Viennese Opera Ball 2025: The Year of Strauss

In a celebration of culture, tradition, and timeless music, the 69th Annual Viennese Opera Ball returns to Cipriani 42nd Street on Friday, May 9th, 2025, for what promises to be one of the most spectacular evenings in New York’s social calendar.

Since 1955, the Viennese Opera Ball in New York has been a representative of Vienna’s cultural legacy, elegance, and glamour in the Big Apple. The Ball operates as a cultural platform and builds bridges to connect present day New York City with 19th Century Vienna, and people of varying heritages, continents, and generations, to bring traditional glamour to the city that never sleeps.

This year’s gala holds historic resonance as it commemorates the 200th Anniversary of the birth of Johann Strauss II, honoring the enduring legacy of one of the world’s great musical geniuses.

Known as the “Waltz King,”, Johann Strauss II was an Austrian composer celebrated for elevating the Viennese waltz to international acclaim. The son of composer Johann Strauss, he surpassed his father’s fame with iconic works like The Blue Danube, Tales from the Vienna Woods, and the operetta Die Fledermaus.

Since its founding in 1955, the Viennese Opera Ball has brought the grandeur of Vienna’s imperial ball season to the heart of Manhattan. Held under the auspices of the U.S. Austrian Chamber of Commerce, the Ball serves as a dazzling cultural bridge between Austria and the United States—uniting diplomacy, elegance, and philanthropy in one unforgettable evening.

This year, under the vaulted ceilings of Cipriani’s historic landmark venue, guests will be transported into a world of classical splendor, inspired by Strauss’s legacy and the timeless beauty of Viennese tradition with music from the Viennese Opera Ball Orchestra under the direction of Maestro and concertmaster Rainer M. Sulzgruber.

The evening opens with the cherished presentation of debutantes and their escorts—an iconic moment in which young women and men from across the globe are formally introduced to society through a regal waltz. This elegant choreography is brought to life by Sandra Stockmayer in collaboration with the prestigious Svabek Dance School.
Officers of the US Army will present the Colors, honoring the connection between tradition and service. Then, the stage will be set for a glorious tribute to Strauss. A dazzling lineup of international opera stars will grace the stage, including María Barakova, Mikayla Sager, Daniel Berryman, Aigul Akhmetshina, Maritina Tampakopoulos, Adam Smith, Johanna Will, and two-time Grammy Award winner J’Nai Bridges — performing selections from Strauss’s most celebrated compositions, bringing his creative genius to life through powerful vocals and orchestral mastery.

The Ballet Support Foundation will present a special artistic highlight, featuring Christine Shevchenko, Principal Dancer of the American Ballet Theatre, joined by select dancers from the Youth America Grand Prix (YAGP).
Guests will enjoy a decadent, multi-course Viennese-inspired dinner and fine Austrian wines, followed by dancing and the traditional midnight Quadrille—open to all attendees and led by costumed instructors in true Viennese fashion.
While the evening glitters with glamour, its heart lies in philanthropy. Co-Chaired by Jean Shafiroff and Denis Rich, this year’s Ball will benefit Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, continuing the event’s legacy of supporting charitable causes through the arts.

With a guest list that includes diplomats, international dignitaries, cultural luminaries, and New York’s social elite, the 2025 Viennese Opera Ball promises to be a breathtaking homage to Strauss’s enduring impact—and a night of old-world glamour reborn in modern Manhattan.