Semperoper Ball 2026: Many tickets already gone

The Dresden Semperoper Ball 2026 on February 2 will be held under the motto "Film ab!". "We want to bring the magic of film to the stage of the Semperoper," said the chairman of the ball association, Gerhard Müller. "Elegant images, great emotions and celebrities from the world of film" have been announced. Details on this and the artistic program will be announced after the summer break.

According to Müller, interest in the 2026 edition is high, with 75 percent of tickets already sold and some categories fully booked. Anyone who wants to be there "shouldn't take too long", he said, also referring to 2025: "In the end, many wishes could no longer be fulfilled." The Semper 2 venue will be included in the ball for the first time. This will create a spacious foyer with a catering area and terrace as well as an additional dance hall and bar.

Logo and debutante dress to match the ball motto

For the reminiscence of the cinema, there is a temporary logo with a cinematic sheen and the matching debutante dress. The creation is "made in Saxony" and sewn in the Ore Mountains. "A ball gown has to evoke emotions, just like a good movie," said Dresden designer Dorothea Michalk. Her design in bright fiery red is an elegant statement for the grand entrance, powerful, classic and modern at the same time. "It stands for the self-confidence of the young women who experience this special moment."

An opera ball was held for the first time in February 1925 in the court theater, which was built according to plans by architect Gottfried Semper between 1871 and 1878. After eleven editions, the tradition was discontinued in 1939. During the GDR era, attempts were made to revive the baroque festivities surrounding the opera. On 7 July 1989, a "Musenfest" based on Saxon tradition was successfully held, albeit not in the hall.

In 2006, 67 years after the last ball in the old Semper Opera House, a new edition was held in the reconstructed building. The privately sponsored event has established itself with a simultaneous counterpart in front of the theater for everyone, with nationwide coverage and media response - according to the organizers, over 1.7 million people watched the live television broadcast in 2025 and 400,000 watched the rerun.