Deputy speaker of Croatian Parliament and academician Željko Reiner, the head of office at the State Office for Croats Abroad Daria Krstičević, Croatian Ambassador to Austria Gordan Bakota, Croatian ambassadors to Hungary and Slovakia, Gordan Grlić-Radman and Jakša Muljačić respectively, vice-mayor of the City of Vienna Maria Vassilakou, the secretary general of the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs Michael Linhart, Austrian Ambassador to Croatia Andrea Ikić-Böhm, and many others gathered at the Schönbrunn Parkhotel.
The 68th Croatian Ball was held in Vienna, organised by the Croatian Centre in Vienna and the Croatian-Gradišće Culture Society. Over one thousand guests gathered January 17th, revelling in the hall of the Schönbrunn Parkhotel and dancing under the moniker “Croatians, Meet Schönbrunn”.
European and Croatian dignitaries, including deputy speaker of Croatian Parliament and academician Željko Reiner, the head of office at the State Office for Croats Abroad Daria Krstičević, Croatian Ambassador to Austria Gordan Bakota, vice-mayor of the City of Vienna Maria Vassilakou, the secretary general of the Austrian Ministry of European and International Affairs Michael Linhart, Austrian Ambassador to Croatia Andrea Ikić-Böhm, Croatian ambassadors to Hungary and Slovakia, Gordan Grlić-Radman and Jakša Muljačić respectively, and many others. The ball was opened by the Blue Danube Orchestra, consisting of singers and players from Austria, Hungary, Slovakia, Vojvodina and Spain.
That night Vienna danced to the rhythm of the Pax band from the Gradišće region, Sigi Feigl’s Big Band, the Koprive tamburitza ensemble from the Hungarian village of Petrovo Selo, the KroTarantata band from the Italian region of Molise, the Ferkovaca band out of Slovakia and the Tamburice Cindrof out of Gradišće. The highlight of the evening was a performance from the classical musical My Fair Lady, performed by the Croatians of the Gradišće (Burgenland) region in the Croatian language. For the first time the ladies at the Croatian Ball had an opportunity dance with “taxi-dancers”, professional dancers that have graduated from Vienna’s top dance schools.
(Fenix magazin)
See the photos at:
www.kroativ.at
www.hrvatiizvanrh.hr
