It’s showtime! Dazzling debutantes and glamorous guests party until the early hours at the 67th Vienna Opera Ball
Glamorous debutantes have donned white gowns and all their finery as they’re introduced into society at the 67th annual Vienna Opera Ball.
The event, which dates back to 1814, took place on Thursday evening at the Wiener Staatsoper opera house, which is transformed into a ballroom each year in a painstaking 30-hour operation to host the debutantes.
Joining the new introductions, aged between 18 and 24, this year were a few famous faces – including Heidi Klum’s model daughter Leni, 20, who put on a dazzling display in a burgundy sequinned gown.
She wore her hair in a sleek updo complete with a side parting and a power bun, and opted for winged eyeliner with a glossy nude lip.
To accessorise, Leni was dazzling in diamonds, with a three-tiered diamond necklace, a tennis bracelet and sparkling rings.
She wasn’t the only famous face at the event, with Victoria’s Secret angel Candice Swanepoel, 36, also bringing A-list glamour to the event, in addition to Gossip Girl star Ed Westwick.
Swanepoel put on a very elegant display in a cream satin midi dress with cape-style sleeves. She added to her frame with a pair of silver heels and added a touch of glitz with a silver jewelled choker necklace.
Leni Klum, 20, was among the glamorous guests at the 2025 annual Vienna Opera Ball which took place on Thursday evening in Austria
Dressed according to the strict code, the debutantes donned white gowns, sleek updos and of course, white opera gloves as they were introduced into society
It was the first event to be held after the death of controversial billionaire Richard Lugner, who paid thousands to bring celebrity guests along – however his widow Simone (pictured) did attend
The event, which runs from 10pm until 5am, featured music from Nadine Sierra and Diego Florez (pictured)
Guests at the ball can enjoy the main ballroom floor as well as rooms filled with different music and entertainment. Pictured: Amira Aly
The model showed off her stunning features with a dewy make-up palette as she joined Leni in a luxury box to watch the esteemed opera and ballroom dance performance.
The Opera Ball is known for its A-list guests, with controversial billionaire Richard Lugner, who died last year, reportedly paying thousands to take celebrities along, including Kim Kardashian and Geri Halliwell.
The Austrian construction tycoon died at the age of 91 in August 2024 after suffering several health issues, and the 67th annual ball marks the first since his passing.
Lugner’s widow Simone, 43, did attend the event and donned a satin royal blue gown accessorised with a gold chain mail bag and a fur collar. She arrived at the ball with Roland Granzer.
The trio all appeared to be in jovial form as they smiled for the cameras while sitting in a luxury box
She was joined by supermodel Candice Swanepoel, who put on a very elegant display in a cream satin midi dress with cape-style sleeves
The 180 debutante couples are selected carefully after completing an audition process which tests their Viennese Waltz skills
Each couple must go through weeks of rehearsals before the ball to practice their waltz
The first event of its kind was held in 1814, thrown to entertain the aristocracy who were after entertainment following the Napoleonic wars
All guests must adhere to the evening dress code which means white ties and tails for men, with debutantes expected to wear white dresses and white opera gloves
Picture: Sabine Jungwirth, Werner Kogler, Doris Schmidbauer, and Austrian president Alexander Van der Bellen
Pictured: Lana Milona and Bruce Darnell beam on the dancefloor at the ball
Lana Minola (right) and her mother Lilly zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg (left) dazzled in their floor-length gowns
Television presenter Silvia Schneider dazzled at the event in an off-shoulder sequinned bronze gown
Alexis Nasard, CEO of Austrian jewellery brand Swarovski, and his wife Alexandra, attended he glamorous event with Alexandra dazzling in an embossed red gown
Kristina Sprenger, an Austrian actress, and her husband Gerald Gerstbauer, donned all their finery on the red carpet
Leona König, an Austrian actress, also chose sequins in a ruby hue as she arrived at the event
Amira Aly, Adi Weiss and Nina Proll dazzle on the red carpet in white tie and tails and floor-length gowns
Susanne Porsche and Prof. Werner Ebke enjoy glasses of white wine as they take a seat in one of the dining areas at the event
Christina Lugner, ex-wife of late billionaire Richard and film director, donned a jade green gown
Sasha and Julia Roentgen, who donned a stunning yellow and gold beaded gown with cape detailing, made a statement on the red carpet
Franziska Knuppe donned a satin gown with statement shoulders in a burgundy hue as she joined Lana Milona and Lilly zu Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburg
Glamorous guests dressed in dazzling gowns and white ties and tails showed off all their finery
Bruce Darnell, American choreographer and model, donned a top hat to match his tails, and patent leather boots, as he put on a stylish display
Preparations for the formal event start weeks before the evening itself, with 144 young couples aged between 17 to 24 dedicating themselves to rehearsals ahead of the night and spending hours putting the finishing touches on their outfits.
To attend the grand occasion, general admission costs €395 but guests can also pay 23,600 for a circle box, which can seat a maximum of 12 people and gives the ‘best views’ of the opera and opera floor.
The 2025 Vienna Opera Ball marks the first event since the death of Austrian billionaire Lugner, known for his extravagant lifestyle, many wives and glamourous dates with A-listers.
The first event of its kind was held in 1814, thrown to serve the aristocracy as they searched for entertainment after the Napoleonic wars.
Every event has a dress code of evening dress; meaning white ties and tails for men, floor-length gowns foe women and white opera gloves for the female debutantes.
The ball begins at around 10pm when the Austrian president and guests appear on the imperial balcony and the national anthem is played, followed by the European anthem. It finishes at around 5am.
Each year, the highlight of the ceremony is its debutantes – 180 new couples who are selected after auditioning by showing off their Viennese Waltz.
