The Dresden Semperoper Ball 2025 began with the overture to Leonard Bernstein's operetta "Candide". "Let's celebrate, swing, dance, listen to jazz, let's dive into the Golden Twenties," said actor Tom Wlaschiha. "It's the night of anniversaries," added co-presenter and colleague Stephanie Stumph. The "Candide" overture was played by the Sächsische Staatskapelle Dresden under the baton of British conductor Jonathan Darlington.
On the stage, in the hall, in the tiers, in the boxes and in the foyers: 2,000 paying guests celebrated the establishment of the ball tradition at the famous theater 100 years ago in the converted and sold-out opera house. The 200th anniversary of the Semperoper ballet, the founding of the Palucca School 100 years ago and the 200th birthday of the Viennese waltz king Johann Strauss will also be commemorated.
Max Giesinger, who is scheduled as a live act in the program at midnight, said he could not imagine dancing himself. And Cathy Hummels concentrated on hosting the "Ballgeflüsters", leaving the dancing "to the debutants", she said on the red carpet.
Folk music singer Heino, Becker's daughter Anna Ermakova, singer Roberto Blanco, former figure skater Katarina Witt, actress Martina Gedeck and music producer Purple Disco Machine - two of the three ball award winners - also came to the festively lit opera house.
Entertainer Wolfgang Lippert provided the atmosphere on Theaterplatz in front of the Semperoper. Hundreds watched the entrée on a big screen in front of the illuminated theater building - and on an extra red carpet. The open-air counterpart is a unique feature of the Semper Opera Ball.
Ball premiere in the Semper Opera House in 1925
The first Opera Ball was held in the court theater, which was built according to plans by Gottfried Semper between 1871 and 1878, in February 1925. After eleven editions, the tradition was discontinued in 1939. During the GDR era, there were many attempts to revive the baroque festivities surrounding the opera. On July 7, 1989, a "Musenfest" based on Saxon tradition was successfully held, albeit not in the hall. A new edition followed in 2006, 67 years after the last ball in the old Semperoper.
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