On March, 28th, in Budapest, in a lavish hall of the Corinthia Hotel, Sissi’s Ball was held, preceded by a masterclass on the 19th-century dances. Both events, accompanied by two sightseeing tours, were organized and curated by Livia Ghizzoni’s Italian Company of Theatre and Dance.
The experience was mainly focused on dance, but also included undeniable cultural and artistic enrichment: a cruise on the Danube and a visit to Gödöllő, the palace where Princess Elisabeth, known as Sissi, loved to retreat.
A fundamental element of Sissi’s Ball in Budapest was the involvement of Italian nobles and the Habsburg house. The delegation of the Imperial Orders of Elisabeth and Franz Joseph attended the Ball, representing the Sándor Habsburg-Lorraine family. Among the Italian nobles there were Countess Aida Abdullaeva and the family of the Dukes of Este.
The dance groups came from Italy (Trentino, Turin, Novara, Genoa, Bologna, Venice, Rome, Syracuse) and from various European countries including Hungary, Austria, France, Germany, Spain, Serbia, and the United Kingdom. A passion for dance united people, shortening distances and facilitating communication.
The Danube cruise took place at seven in the evening on Friday, March, 27th. The ship “Gróf Széchenyi” departed from dock two in Budapest to carry passengers along the Central European river, where they were offered welcome wine and authentic Hungarian goulash. An orchestra cheered the passengers with Hungarian and international music. After dinner, the Italian Company of Theatre and Dance honored travelers with a performance by the dancers participating in Sissi’s Ball. For the dancers it was a wonderful experience in which they could not only showcase their skill and traditional costumes, but also share their art with the audience aboard the cruise ship.
The following morning, at eleven on Saturday, March 28th, the dancers led by Livia Ghizzoni gathered at the Corinthia Hotel for the historical dance workshop. It was a masterclass where they reviewed the dances listed in the “Carnet du Bal” (the list of all dances whose performance is scheduled).
Sissi’s Ball in Budapest was an alternation of different moments: Sissi and her Emperor Franz Josef of Habsburg-Lorraine’s dance, dances for everyone, performances by opera singers (such as Angelica Cirillo), and performances of traditional dance groups. These very elements transformed it into a unique event, at once a show and moments of genuine sociability and sharing. A pleasant atmosphere was created. Among the dances performed at the Ball, participants most enjoyed the quadrilles (“Les Lanciers”, “Prince Imperial”, “Serbian Quadrille”), the Galop, and the numerous waltzes.
In the most spectacular part of the Ball, Hungarian folk dance groups led by master Attila performed. Their performance was not only meant to be admired from afar: the dancers involved all the Ball’s participants in several dances, creating moments of joy. Dancers from all over Europe appreciated the Hungarian folk traditions, full of strength, beauty, and vitality.
On the morning of Sunday, March 29th, the participants in the Ball took a guided tour of Gödöllő, Sissi’s palace located outside the metropolitan area of Budapest, surrounded by nature.
In 2025, the Italian Company of Theatre and Dance organized Sissi’s Ball at the Grand Hotel in Vienna. This year, the splendid Corinthia Hotel in Budapest was chosen as the venue for the ball. Following these successes, more European balls in the footsteps of Princess Sissi are expected.
Bringing together people of different nationalities united by a passion for dance and history brought success to the organization. Synergies, collaborations, and friendships were born. In times of war, seeing the ability of the art of dance to unite people, to open paths of dialogue and sharing, was a true success achieved by the organization, the Italian Company of Theatre and Dance, and by Livia Ghizzoni herself, convinced that dance makes us dream and guides us, being a means through which the most beautiful emotions are expressed.
Future international events with historical dance may arise from the connections and synergies created between dance event organizers in various countries and the numerous schools that participated in Sissi’s Ball: the Bordeaux School, the Il Ventaglio Academy of Syracuse, Nobiltà Sabauda of Turin, Salotto Maffei from Trentino, Società di Danza, and schools from Serbia and Spain.
A few unforeseen issues only highlighted an organization that was perfect and meticulous in every detail. It was a fairytale evening from another era in which dance became a desire to express oneself, culture, and knowledge. Not even the bad weather in the mountains, for those participants who had to drive across Europe, could prevent the event from taking place — an event that remained in the hearts of nobles, dancers, masters, singers, and all those involved in this initiative. To be repeated. To be proposed again in a new venue beloved by Empress Elisabeth of Austria.
Olga Matsyna
