Security gap at the Vienna Opera Ball horrifies stars – “scandal”

Confusion at the Vienna Opera Ball: A ticket problem that could well have become a security breach outraged the stars.

Vienna – Construction mogul Richard Lugner invites you and the stars come. Year after year, the Vienna Opera Ball is one of the society events par excellence in the Austrian capital. Not least because not only celebrities from Germany and Austria, but also the who's who from all over the world get involved. What always stands out is the choice of partner by host and organizer Lugner.

The businessman, also known as “Mörtel” Lugner, who regularly attracts attention with his relationships with young women with strange nicknames, invites a particularly prominent lady to the opening of the ball every year. Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian, Jane Fonda: They have all accompanied the now 91-year-old. This year, Priscilla Presley, ex-wife of the “King of Rock'n'Roll” Elvis Presley, is at his side. But alongside the glitz and glamour, there is also a bit of trouble.

Security gap at the Vienna Opera Ball? “The first time that no one checked us”

That also worked at the mega event Kronen Zeitung from Austria to catch votes on site by Sasa Schwarzjirg on the “Krone-TV” microphone. The “best boxes” will cost 24,500 euros, reports the presenter. There would also be a “donor contribution” of 30,000 euros. Expensive fun anyway – which could have been cheaper? In any case, there are complaints about a problem that could well be a security gap.

In an interview in front of the camera, publisher Christian W. Mucher reports from the box that he “succeeded for the first time in my life that no one controlled us.” Nobody checked the tickets. “We would have saved ourselves a fortune,” he says, probably jokingly. Others report similar things – and see the whole thing a little more seriously.

No ticket check at the Vienna Opera Ball: Heino manager speaks of “scandal” – Pocher surprised

“If you pay 385 euros and are not checked,” notes Helmut Werner, manager of pop star Heino, who was also at the opera ball. They could have simply gone in with 18 people, he reports. “You wouldn’t have had to buy the tickets if you weren’t being checked,” says XY, who adds: “Actually, it’s a scandal and a mess. “It needs to be controlled, everyone can’t just walk in to the Opera Ball and all the people buy the tickets.”

Oliver Pocher, who has recently been in the headlines because of his separation from his ex-wife Amira, was also a guest with his ex-wife Sandy Meyer-Wölden. The comedian also had his say on the topic of card control. When asked about the high prices for the box, he replied with surprise: “Strong, and not one person asked for my card. But then it’s money well spent.”

But the whole thing didn't dampen the good mood at the event. And although it was of course very crowded there, if some people actually smuggled in without tickets, it didn't seem to be noticeable. (han)