Rainbow Ball 2011

14^th Viennese Rainbow Ball – “The Imperial Rainbow”

Wearing a flirty smile, Vienna’s colourful, free-spirited and lively LGBT community is moving, now socially acceptable, from the Parkhotel Schönbrunn to the Imperial Palace. On 12 February 2011 the Rainbow Ball is having its first night amongst the imperial splendour of the Habsburgs’ winter residency. There it will also set a pleasurable counterpoint of life’s diversity. “The Imperial Rainbow” is being organised in the Imperial Palace’s ballrooms by the tried and tested team of the Homosexual Initiative (HOSI) Vienna under the leadership of Christian Högl – with esprit, fantasy and in the spirit of tolerance. This invitation goes out to all LGBT people, their friends and supporters to enjoy a sparkling night of music and dancing, and not only waltzes. Be part of it!

A night with that certain something

Christof Cremer will be the artistic director. He earned his reputation as costume and stage designer at ballet performances of the New Year’s Concert of the Vienna Philharmonic and at staging Vienna’s renowned “Kaffeesiederball” (ball of coffee makers). The artistic direction will add that certain something to classical ball tradition. In that spirit, the opening dancers of the dancing school Stanek will not strictly stick to traditional ball clothing. Subsequently, the dancing formation Les Schuh Schuh will spin and twist conventional role models by changing who leads, switching partners and doing some cross-dressing, and thereby putting them together in a totally new way. Their sweeping and ironic performance, which has been immensely popular since 2002, also picks Austria and Vienna as its theme. And the midnight performance holds a spectacular surprise. To provide a wide range of music throughout the night, there will be several orchestras of different genres, with a focus on the rhythms of the 1920s to 1940s, 1970s and 1980s.

Beneficiary tombola under the rainbow

The net profit of the Rainbow Ball will, as it traditionally has, support the work of the HOSI Vienna. It is used to finance several LGBT causes, such as HOSI Vienna’s educational project “Peer ConneXion” or the “Regenbogenparade”, Vienna’s pride parade. A fun twist in donating will be the popular tombola with unusual and exciting prizes.