Vienna meets Tokyo

On Carnival Saturday 2024 the traditional Ball of Legal Professionals took place at the Hofburg Vienna. The motto of what is probably the oldest ball in the world was “Vienna meets Tokyo” this year. Guests were welcomed in the foyer with Japanese music, Bon Odori dances and the latest Lexus models. The host, the Austrian Juristenverband, had decorated the entire Hofburg in Japanese style, with thousands of hand-folded origami cranes, lanterns and cherry blossoms. The opening, put together by Mag. Reinhard Hohenegger, was likewise a symbiosis of Vienna and Tokyo: the musical “Elisabeth” was performed in Japanese, with composer Silvester Levay in person. Eugenia Dushina sang the aria of Madama Butterfly.

Federal Minister of Justice Dr.in Alma Zadić, LL.M., the Japanese Ambassador H.E. Ryuta Mizuuchi and the President of the Juristenverband, Dr. Alexander T. Scheuwimmer, MBA, performed the Kagami Biraki, a traditional Japanese opening ceremony. Host Mag.a Silvia Schneider excelled as always. After the “Alles Walzer” from Prof. Thomas Schäfer-Elmayer, the dance floor filled up. During the breaks from dancing, guests could enjoy ikebana, calligraphy, taiko drummers, a kimono show and a kendō demonstration. Lorenz Coudenhove-Kalergi told the story of Count Heinrich von Coudenhove-Kalergi and Mitsuko. For the midnight show, Masumi Ormandy sang the “Sukiyaki Song” and Axel Herrig performed “Falco – Welcome To Japan”. The first of two quadrilles followed.

Among the prominent guests were: Heather Mills, ex-wife of Paul McCartney; Dr.in Alma Zadić, LL.M., Federal Minister of Justice; Síofra O’Leary, President of the European Court of Human Rights; Univ.-Prof. Dr. Georg Kodek, President of the Supreme Court; Dr. Othmar Karas, M.B.L.-HSG, First Vice-President of the European Parliament; Dr.in Brigitte Bierlein, former Federal Chancellor and former President of the Constitutional Court; as well as Mag.a Beate Meinl-Reisinger, Dr. Werner Fasslabend and the ambassadors of the Czech Republic, Belgium, Japan, Côte d’Ivoire, the Netherlands and Italy. Dr. Alexander T. Scheuwimmer, MBA, expressed his delight at the positive response from the many guests. Despite the energy-saving school holidays, all previous sales records were broken.