12 Aralık 2016 Pazartesi

1880s Grand Oscarian Ball, 2013

The ball was held in the Golden Foyer at the Royal Opera House in Stockholm. Our group of three Finnish ladies Riikka, Ida and me, met a few hours before the ball in a hotel to get dressed and then we headed to the Opera. First wonderful surprise of the evening came in a form of a doorman, who came to open the doors in proper Victorian attire. We stepped inside and arrived to a beautiful lobby with a grand staircase. To our delight we noticed the other members of the staff wearing liveries too. I was sorry to arrive in my 21st century overcoat. Next year (I really, really hope there is a next year) I'm definitely making a mantle so I can arrive in style. 

While the guests started crowding the lobby, our hosts from Menuett Akademien descended the stairs to greet us. I expected them to be fabulously dressed as always, but they still managed to astonish me. They were a truly stunning sight coming down the stairs, gentlemen accompanying the ladies, all looking very majestic.



The guests were also very well dressed. It was so nice that so many had really made an effort. There were also several gorgeous antique dresses and suits. Riikka had performed a miracle and produced dresses for her and Ida in just a few weeks. My dress had also been a rushed project. The fabric had been lost in mail for a month before it arrived. Fortunately it  did arrive on the last minute, but for some unknown reason I was nevertheless convinced the dress would turn out as the ugliest thing I had ever made until the very end. Luckily, on the evening of the ball, I was happy to be wearing the dress and everyone was so nice and cordial to me that they made me completely forget my former doubts. Some ladies also came to talk to me after recognizing me from my blog and that was so nice. Hi to you if you are reading this!

The night began by mingling and socializing. We headed for the hall and it was absolutely divine. Like being in a palace. In a proper Victorian way we had dancing cards and we eagerly began hunting for dance partners soon after we had settled. I'm not that experienced of a dancer, so I left all the polkas and mazurkas unreserved, but I managed to find partners for all the Wiener waltzes and Ida promised to be my partner for the first dance of the evening, a promenade polonaise. 

Stockholm Academic Orchestra were there to provide the music. They were fantastic! When the polonaise began and the first notes of Radetszky Marsch by J.Strauss Sr. were played, it felt just like stepping in to the Opera ball scene of the movie The Age of Innocence. I also really enjoyed all the waltzes. Dancing to a live orchestra and being in that beautiful place, the evening was the most genuine time travel experience I've ever had. 

Because the event was the living history kind, the organizers had made a decision not to allow photographing until the ball was over. I think it was a good thing and contributed to the atmosphere. Because of it I took only a few blurry cell phone pictures myself, but the famous duo Atelieri O. Haapala were there and they photographed many of the guests.

See them all here.

My calling card:


The pictures I took of the Golden Foyer:



Of course we needed to take pictures of ourselves before leaving.



The hall had a balcony opening to the staircase and it was naturally our favorite spot for photography.








The staircase seen from the balcony:



Big thanks to our hosts for organizing the fabulous event. It was a success!

Thank you also to Patrik, Carl, Fredrik, Olof, Johan and Ida for dancing with me.

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