"Glücklich ist, wer vergisst, was doch nicht zu ändern ist"
(e.t.: "Happy is who forgets that which can't be changed")
From Johann Strauß' Operette "Die Fledermaus"

Rendition by the Wiener Volksoper Symphonieorchester

In a scene from the musical "The Sound of Music", "Fräulein Maria", the governess, dances the Ländler with Baron Georg von Trapp at a ball when the spirit of the music and the dance casts a spell on the couple and kindles their budding love for each other.

Unbeknownst to most and many is that two of America's legendary, internationally famous and revered dance aficionados are actually each the son of Austrian immigrants/Fred and Hungarian immigrants/Arthur.

Mr. Astaire's Bio
Mr. Murray's Bio

Der Wiener Opernball
(The Vienna Opera Ball)

is the annual Viennese superlative black-tie social event hosting the formal Debutante Ball together with tributes to Austria's notable contributions to art, culture, dance and music.

1910 Flag of Austria

"Here, waltzes are called 'Works'! And Strauß and Lanner, who play them for dancing, are called "Kapellmeistern". This does not mean that everyone thinks like that, indeed, nearly everyone laughs about it, but only waltzes get printed"

- Frédéric Chopin -

A Special Relationship ...

linked legendary russian ballet dancer Rudolf Nureyev (1938-1993) to the Vienna Opera Ballet for many years. It was for this company he created his first versions of 'Swan Lake' in 1964 and 'Don Quixote' in 1966. It was in Vienna that he revived his productions of 'Paquita' in 1971 and 'The Sleeping Beauty' in 1980. Above all, it was in Vienna that he created his first original choreography, 'Tancredi', in 1966. It was at this time when he proceeded to acquire citizenship, offered and granted to him by Austria in 1982.

Austria's Extraordinary Musical Superstars

Wolfgang A. Mozart
Franz Schubert
Franz J. Haydn
Waltz King Johann Strauß, II.

†Udo Jürgens
(from Klagenfurt)
Udo's Website

In Memoriam
1934 - 2014

"Bis ans Ende seiner Lieder" View

†Peter Alexander
(from Wien/Vienna)

   In Memoriam

       1926-2011
  "Sag' beim Abschied leise Servus" View

Vienna Salzburg