Viewers rebel

Opera Ball: “Most embarrassing broadcast of all time”

Teresa Vogl, Mirjam Weichselbraun, Andi Knoll and Marion Benda (from left): Who was well received by viewers, who was not?(Bild: ORF)

On Thursday evening, hundreds of thousands of Austrians watched the Vienna Opera Ball live on ORF 2. But not everyone liked what they saw: you can find the nastiest and funniest network comments here.

"This is the most embarrassing broadcast ever", stated Walterfünfzigdrei on X (formerly Twitter), speaking from the soul of many social network users. ORF presenter Marion Benda's first appearance in particular gave rise to much ridicule and malice, for example from X user Carlos, who commented on a scene between Benda and ÖVP Minister Karoline Edtstadler that was hard to bear: "'Are there any potent men here?' - ORF-Benda in the presidential box stylistically out of her depth." User DerHerrKarl also commented: "The presenter Marion Benda is a complete miscast for me. Sorry."

Priscilla Presley was the star guest at the Opera Ball. Weichselbraun, who lives in London, mastered the interview with her in perfect English.(Bild: APA/EVA MANHART)

Andi Knoll's humor was better received, as he exerted himself and switched back and forth between many locations in the opera: "How sympathetically Andi Knoll mingles with the guests and chats freely with them," said X user Sabine, delighted with the effort.

Long broadcasting time tired out some viewers
There was hardly any ridicule for culture lady Teresa Vogl, who kept her interviews calm and professional. But even that annoyed some viewers: "Be honest about the interviews. It's really boring," said X user Barbara Gump at the end of the broadcast after a long series of box interviews with star guests such as Priscilla Presley, Franco Nero and Oliver Pocher.

Teresa Vogl, Mirjam Weichselbraun, Andi Knoll and Marion Benda (from left): Who went down well with the audience, who went down badly?(Bild: ORF)

Opernball "veteran" Mirjam Weichselbraun avoided all the pitfalls despite having to conduct a number of interviews in English and translate them into German ("Weichselbraun is already wiping the sweat off her face") - even if some viewers thought her dress was a pitfall in itself: "Weichselbraun is wearing a dress made from her recycled Christmas tree decorations this year", said Frank on X, for example.

This time, commentators Karl Hohenlohe and Christoph Wagner-Trenkwitz also got their fair share of ribbing: "How much longer are these two old men going to talk? They don't earn any more," said user Winterfell on X, for example, and Sissi von Hapsburch was even more direct: "These two birds kill me every time with their douchebaggery."

Will viewers' reactions have an impact on the presenter line-up next year? Last year, ORF reacted promptly to the fact that the news faces Tarek Leitner and Nadja Bernhard, for example, were not so well received and no longer engaged them this year ...