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When thoughts are dancing, feet will not stay still.

The publicists' association "Wiener Journalisten- und Schriftstellerverein Concordia" started in 1859. It watches over the freedom of the press, promotes civilized dialogue and generally contributes to making the world a freer and fairer place.

In 1863, this club invited members and friends to a dance. The Concordia Ball was born. Johann Strauss composed a waltz, named it “Morgenblätter”, or “Morning Papers”, and it still moves hearts and legs today. By the way, Jacques Offenbach promptly answered with an “Abendblätter”, or “Evening Papers” waltz. Competition is good for business.

Today, more than ever, Concordia Press Club is working to ensure that papers and platforms dedicated to integrity, facts and civilized exchange of opinions will still be available tomorrow.

"Concordia" celebrates this tradition every year by holding Vienna's most beautiful summer ball, a feast with music, entertainment and lively conversations. Under friendly stars, the leading exponents of the media world dance side by side with supporters of the free press, freedom of opinion and democracy. Light as leaves of paper. Until the early morning. And not only the waltz.

We take the liberty - and celebrate:
Welcome to Concordia Ball 2020 – "Morgen. Blätter. Walzer"
   
   

History

123 Glamorous Nights

Legend has it that Johann Strauss cried bitter tears: Introducing his brand new „Morgenblätter“ (i.e. „Morning Papers“) Waltz at the Concordia Ball 1864, he had suffered a painful defeat against his life-long competitor Jacques Offenbach who stole the show that night, and most of the applause, with another especially composed waltz named „Abendblätter” (i.e. „Evening Papers“).
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Dedicated to the Concordia and premiered in 1864 at the Concordia Ball.
   
  
This really hurt Strauss, the more so because after a splendid premiere on January 19th, 1863, Concordia Ball was set to become the ultimate highlight of Vienna’s glittering ball season. The influential paper Morgenpost had already named it „crown of the elite balls“. Journalist Heinrich Pollak wrote: “Many came to see, and others came to be seen”. Indeed, ministers and diplomats rubbed shoulders with artists and intellectuals, star actors and newspaper editors. Crown Prince Rudolf was a regular visitor, and Vienna’s leading composers wrote dance music especially for the ball, among them the Strauss brothers, Lehár, Millöcker, Franz von Suppé and Carl Michael Ziehrer.

The Concordia Ball even survived the end of the Empire, only to perish soon after, together with Austria’s freedom: The ball itself was cancelled during the Ständestaat regime. When the Nazis took over they dissolved the Press Club, and after the liberation in 1945, Vienna had to wait another 15 years for the return of its beloved Concordia Ball.  

In 1960, Concordia President Rudolf Kalmar found a dedicated supporter in Vienna’s Vice Mayor Hans Mandl, relocated the ball to the spectacular ambience of Vienna’s City Hall and scheduled it as the highlight of the Wiener Festwochen spring festival, in safe distance from the yearly ball event overload during carnival.

The Concordia Ball celebrated an amazing comeback as Vienna’s greatest, loveliest summer ball with guests dancing in the ceremonial hall and, weather permitting, outside in the arcade court. Vienna’s municipal gardening service provided floral decorations of such irresistible beauty that the ball program of 1969 deplored the esteemed guests to at least leave the flower pots in place.

Once again, seeing and being seen was the name of the game: Popular actor Heinz Conrads rode into the hall on a paper mache Pegasus to present the midnight show.
Poet Ernst Jandl reluctantly agreed to at least take part in a books tombola – “if you promise I don’t have to dance!” Chancellor Bruno Kreisky, guest of honor in 1974, when asked to open the ball officially, answered dryly: “What if I say no?”
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Concordia Ball 1974: Chancellor Kreisky, Mayor Gratz und Dance Master Willy Fränzl
   
May 2020 will see the 123rd Concordia Ball. As it happens, its official motto will be „Morgen.Blätter.Walzer“, because while Offenbach’s „Abendblätter“ quickly faded from memory, Johann Strauss’s “Morgenblätter” Waltz slowly, but steadily gained a popularity which still shines today. We imagine that the maestro would have found this quite a comforting thought.
  

Dress Code

Style Guide: Evening Elegance
 
"Avant-gardists think the Concordia-Ball is too conservative, for populists it is too elitist and reactionaries find it just a bit too liberal. It looks like the organizers have got it really, really right.”
                                                                       
Long, long time ago, the evening robes of Concordia Ball visitors used to be the talk of the town, indeed for weeks. Many years later the former Press Club President Rudolf Kalmar noted in the features section of “Die Presse" that "the respect that this cosmopolitan city pays to the Concordia Ball is actually the respect for its own spirit", an observation which is still as valid today as on the day it was written down.
 
In this spirit, we keep up the three great traditions of the Concordia Ball – playing exciting music, holding inspiring talks, and showing impressive elegance.
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We appreciate our guests’ contributions to the latter: Floor-length evening dress or tuxedos and dinner jackets with bow tie as well as gala uniforms are welcome.

Guests wearing day suits and short or half-length dresses may experience difficulties entering the premises.

Thanks for your understanding.

Ball Ambassador

It's all about style and originality. 
 
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Elisabeth Himmer-Hirnigel
PR Grande-Dame Elisabeth Himmer-Hirnigel succeeds as ball ambassador in 2018 after three years of successful cooperation with the Austrian media producer Uschi Pöttler-Fellner.

​Now ‚President of Public Affairs‘ for PR International, Himmer-Hirnigel ran the agency she founded with top international clients in the luxury and lifestyle industry for 32 years. She interrupted her singing career when she married her great love and gave birth to two sons. The passion for classical music and opera has remained the award-winning PR expert.

Venue
   
    
The respect that this cosmopolitan city pays to the Concordia Ball is actually the respect for its own spirit. 

The Concordia Ball has been held in Vienna's City Hall since 1960. The festively decorated ceremonial halls provide plenty of room for dancing the night away, or alternatively, the inner courtyard magically transforms into an outdoor dancefloor, where you can also have good talks with a nice cocktail.

Vienna City Hall Address:
Entrance Lichtenfelsgasse 2
1010 Vienna

Directions to Vienna's City Hall by public transport:
Subway: U2 Rathaus, U3 Volkstheater
Trams: 1, 71 or D to Rathausplatz/Burgtheater, 2 to Rathaus

For precise timetable inquiries please check Vienna's public transportation website.

Parking around Vienna's City Hall:
Due to the strict parking regulations enforced around the venue, it is recommended that guests arrive by public transport or taxi. Should you wish to arrive by car, there is limited parking available in the town City Hall's underground car park.

Review Concordia Ball 2019: "Una Notte Italiana!"