As spectacular as many of the gowns worn by celebrities at the recent Met Costume Ball were, they had nothing over the extravagantly clad waltzing couples at the 66th Viennese Opera Ball held at Cipriani 42 Street this week. An annual white tie gala, --floor length gowns for women, white tie and tails for men--the Viennese Opera Ball brings the culture of Austria to America, of Vienna to New York, featuring dinner, dance, and debutantes in the grandeur of this former bank. Connecting two continents, the glamorous night was created by Austrian expatriates, as a tribute to their former hometown Vienna and their host city New York. After a long Covid break, this was one night to be out and about.
Chair, Jean Shafiroff, never to be outdone, wore an ice blue layered tulle off the shoulder gown by Malan Breton, and President Silvia Frieser wore a stunning brocade by the same French designer who also donated a dress for the auction. Artwork by Fer da Silva was also auctioned. Wearing a tuxedo jacket that looked like Jackson Pollock dripped white paint on it, the artist created a heart installation used by many guests as a backdrop for photos. Leave it to an artist to extend the concept of white tie. The evening benefits Sloan Kettering Cancer Center through Denise Rich’s Gabrielle’s Angel Foundation for Cancer Research, and raised funds for the people of Ukraine.
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