Esther Perbandt at the
Vienna Opera Ball
Once in a lifetime: the Vienna Opera Ball.
For one evening, stepping into a world that seems to no longer exist – a world reminiscent of past centuries, yet restaged year after year. A ritual suspended somewhere between tradition and spectacle. Absurd – and precisely for that reason, utterly fascinating.
A sea of evening gowns in every imaginable variation: much that overwhelms, some that perplexes, and moments of true couture brilliance. And the men? They are granted virtually no creative freedom. Anyone not appearing in strict white tie – tailcoat, white waistcoat, white shirt, white bow tie – simply does not enter. Dress codes rarely come more uncompromising than this.
As a child, when Esther saw her first shooting star, she wished for a ball gown. More than 40 years later, she stood on the red carpet of the Vienna Opera Ball 2026 in her own extraordinary creation – inside the iconic Wiener Staatsoper. It was a particular honor to accompany the internationally acclaimed mezzo-soprano Emily D’Angelo, who will appear at the Vienna State Opera beginning March 9, 2026.
Photography: Raphael Mittendorfer
