• austriantimes.at
• croatiantimes.com
• romaniantimes.at
• salzburgtimes.at

Today

• Vienna - Pub Quiz at Charlie Ps
• Vienna - VESCC English Catholic Mass
• Vienna - Childrens Fun
• Vienna - Childrens Fun
• Vienna - Palais Lichtenstein

© MGM

02. 02. 12. - 18:30

• more Panorama news
• RSS Feed Panorama

02. 02. 12. - 18:30

Lugner bags Bond

Danish model Brigitte Nielsen and "James Bond" star Sir Roger Moore will accompany an Austrian entrepreneur at this year’s Vienna Opera Ball.

Richard Lugner announced yesterday (Weds) that Nielsen – who won the latest edition of Germany’s version of "I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here!" (Ich bin ein Star – Holt mich hier raus!) – and Moore agreed to join him, his girlfriend and daughter at the bash set to take place on 16 February.

The announcement comes on the heels of rumours that Lugner may attend the event without a celebrity by his side for the first time in 20 years due to complications in sorting out a contract with an Oscar laureate. The boss of Vienna’s Lugner City – one of the most popular shopping centres of the Austrian capital – previously attended the ball with actress Sophia Loren, singer Grace Jones and model Carmen Electra.

Lugner, 79, was accompanied last year by Ruby Rubacuori who allegedly had an affair with former Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi. The businessman invited the erotic dancer after American actress Bo Derek cancelled her attendance. Lugner contacted Derek after being offered to get "Ocean’s Eleven" star George Clooney to attend the Opera Ball with him. Lugner angered Austrian movie fans by denying the deal. He said: "There will be already two other men in my box with me and my girlfriend. I need a female star guest."

The Lugner City manager’s night at the opera 2010 was stricken by difficulties too. Lugner initially agreed with Lindsay Lohan about coming to Vienna. He was forced to rearrange things at the last minute when the Hollywood starlet missed her flight. Lugner eventually persuaded infamously foul-mouthed TV casting show juror Dieter Bohlen to accompany him. The Viennese entrepreneur found it hard to hide his disappointment about not having a female celebrity by his side.

Moore – who travels the world to promote the activities of UNICEF – came to Austria many times, most recently in 2010. Nielsen was married to "Rocky" star Sylvester Stallone between 1985 and 1987. Her links to Austria are affairs with both the country’s most famous actor and its most successful singer. Nielsen, 48, had a fling with Arnold Schwarzenegger while shooting "Red Sonja" in 1984 before dating Falco three years later. Their collaboration "Body Next to Body" topped the Japanese charts but the late Austrian rapper ("Rock Me Amadeus") said in retrospect: "I never wanted to hit the charts with her. I only wanted to bed her."

Lugner, whose girlfriend is 57 years his junior, started inviting international showbiz stars to the Viennese Opera Ball 20 years ago. The outspoken businessman never revealed how much he paid his personal guests but reports have it that some celebs raked in nearly 100,000 Euros for a few days in Vienna which usually included signing autographs at the Lugner City.

Vienna Times

Related articles: Vienna focus

1. A night of glitz and glamour at Vienna Filmball 2013

   » Panorama 2013-03-18

   Glamour and glitz were out in force at the weekend as stars from Austria and further afield flocked over the red carpet into the Vienna City Hall for a night of awards, dance and partying!

2. Bonbon Ball crowns Miss Bonbon 2013!

   » Panorama 2013-02-11

   By far the sweetest event in the Vienna Ball season - the Bonbon Ball took place this weekend.

3. Demonstration to remain in front of Votiv Kirche

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Following lack of progress made by talks between representatives of the Church, the charity Caritas and refugee activists at the Votiv Kirche in Vienna, protesters are set to stay camped outside the building.

4. Man goes on supermarket axe rampage

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A supermarket worker and three supermarket customers were attacked by a man on the rampage with an axe in a supermarket in the Austrian capital of Vienna.

5. Runners caught short in Vienna Indoor Marathon

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Marathon runners who thought they'd clocked up record times were caught short when organisers confessed that the course wasn't long enough.

6. Underground rape suspect arrested in Graz

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A man accused of raping a 23-year-old woman on an underground line during rush hour in the Austrian capital has been arrested in Graz, Styria.

7. Woman stabs boyfriend in head then goes to bed

   » General News 2012-12-19

   A woman stabbed her partner in the head before going to bed after a row in her apartment in Vienna, Austria.

8. Parking permit zones to be extended

   » General News 2012-12-19

   Discussions are ongoing about making a park permit zone in the Vienna Districts of Hietzing and Währing from 2013 as a result of a knock on effect from surrounding districts.

9. Indoor pool in Vienna open after renovation work

   » Panorama 2012-12-18

   Vienna's indoor swimming pool the Amalienbad is open again after it was closed for renovations over the summer.

10. Price rise set for many in Vienna housing associations

    » General News 2012-12-10

    The year 2013 is going to start off an expensive one of the 2500 people living in Vienna.

Related articles: star news

1. Koller defends Constantini

   » Sports 2012-05-31

   Marcel Koller has taken a stand on his predecessor’s policies.

2. Man Utd chase Austrian ace

   » Sports 2012-05-23

   Manchester United have signalised interest in David Alaba.

3. Supancic sets sails

   » Panorama 2012-05-18

   Mike Supancic is touring Austria.

4. 'The Dictator' besieges Vienna

   » Panorama 2012-05-15

   Tim Burton’s new film and a satirical comedy are now on at the Burgkino Vienna.

5. Burgtheater plans Jelinek and Nestroy productions

   » Panorama 2012-05-01

   Plays by Nobel Prize in Literature laureate Elfriede Jelinek, Ferdinand Raimund and Johann Nepomuk Nestroy will be performed at the Burgtheater (www.burgtheater.at) next season.

6. Kulis on collision course

   » Panorama 2012-04-10

   Radio star Gernot Kulis is touring Austria.

7. Gunkl tour starts

   » Panorama 2012-04-05

   Gunkl – one of Austria’s most gifted stage entertainers – is performing a new programme.

8. Unanimous praise for 'Gespenster'

   » Panorama 2012-04-04

   A new German version of one of Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen’s most popular plays has convinced critics and audiences.

9. Maschek plan Stadtsaal shows

   » Panorama 2012-04-03

   Maschek are preparing to get back on the stage.

10. Resetarits is at the ready again

    » Panorama 2012-03-28

    One of Austria’s most renowned spoken word artists has presented his latest programme while a Dutch bluesman tours the country.

Related articles: quirky Austria

1. Anti-truancy official for Vienna

   » General News 2012-03-23

   Horst Tschaikner has been named head of Vienna’s new anti-truancy office.

2. Unanimous praise for State Opera Ball

   » Panorama 2012-02-17

   Political leaders and showbiz stars had only kind words about last night’s (Thurs) Opera Ball.

3. Nielsen ready for a night at the opera

   » Panorama 2012-02-16

   Richard Lugner has praised Brigitte Nielsen as the "nicest Opera Ball guest I have ever had."

4. ATV pulls the plug on Lugner

   » Panorama 2012-02-15

   Austria’s biggest private TV channel has decided not to focus on Richard Lugner’s Vienna Opera Ball adventures for the first time in years.

5. 007 health worries Lugner

   » Panorama 2012-02-07

   Richard Lugner has expressed concerns about Sir Roger Moore’s health.

6. Lugner bags Bond

   » Panorama 2012-02-02

   Danish model Brigitte Nielsen and "James Bond" star Sir Roger Moore will accompany an Austrian entrepreneur at this year’s Vienna Opera Ball.

7. DocLX abolishes booze ads

   » Business 2012-01-13

   Austria’s leading post-graduation holiday organiser promised to stop advertising around-the-clock alcohol supply.

8. Strache security punches party-goer

   » General News 2011-12-20

   Freedom Party (FPÖ) boss Heinz-Christian Strache is in hot water after a bodyguard put a man into hospital last weekend.

9. New revelations aggravate fake pro-Faymann mails row

   » General News 2011-11-24

   Another leading newspaper has confirmed that it received fake letters to the editor filed from a server run by the Social Democrats (SPÖ).

10. Depressive public servant appears on chat show

    » General News 2011-11-23

    A court annulled a commission’s decision to fine a civil servant for appearing in a television talk show while being off sick.

Related articles: Austria & America

1. OMV demands EU gas commitment

   » Business 2012-04-03

   The head of Austria’s leading oil and gas company has appealed to political leaders to take a stand for gas as a key future source of energy.

2. Austrian universities flop in global study

   » General News 2012-03-16

   No Austrian university has made the new Times Higher Education Ranking.

3. Political photography, Hamlet reloaded and Oldenburg

   » Panorama 2012-03-13

   A fascinating exhibition examining how political leaders are using the power of photography to their benefit is now on display at a Viennese museum.

4. Tourism industry forced to reconsider strategy

   » Business 2012-03-09

   The Austrian Tourism Marketing Agency (ÖW) spends seven million Euros in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) this year.

5. RHI focuses on Brazil

   » Business 2012-03-07

   Vienna-based refractory material manufacturer RHI AG has managed to increase its turnover and earnings.

6. Klimt postcards and UN assembly portraits in Vienna

   » Panorama 2012-03-01

   Exciting exhibitions are on display at two of Vienna’s most popular cultural institutions.

7. Wienerberger among the winners again

   » Business 2012-02-22

   Wienerberger AG chiefs are optimistic about the coming months despite various economic uncertainties all over the world.

8. Akademietheater and English Theatre entertain the crowds

   » Panorama 2012-02-21

   A new play by Roland Schimmelpfennig is now on at the Akademietheater while one of the best places for English-language stage productions in Central Europe offers "Time Stands Still".

9. Moody's justifies warning signal

   » Business 2012-02-15

   A Moody’s analyst has dismissed claims that her team failed to consider the Austrian government’s upcoming austerity package in their latest economic outlook.

10. Lugner bags Bond

    » Panorama 2012-02-02

    Danish model Brigitte Nielsen and "James Bond" star Sir Roger Moore will accompany an Austrian entrepreneur at this year’s Vienna Opera Ball.

Key for Two at Viennas English Theatre [Review]
Key for Two at Vienna’s English Theatre is a quintessentially British comedy. The play by John Chapman and Dave Freeman has to be one of the funniest and timeless shows about in the Austrian capital.

Jackson Fans Get Memorial To Hero
A statue to Michael Jackson has gone on display in the middle of a tiny Austrian town so that fans can have a tribute to their hero.

New baby wolves born in the Schönbrunn zoo
Five wolf cubs are the latest addition to the Schönbrunn zoo in Vienna this spring.

Berrys Fake Agents 150k Con
Eccentric celebrity-mad multi-millionaire Richard Lugner was conned out of 150,000 GBP by fraudster claiming to be Halle Berry's manager, a court has heard.

No smoking in bars does not work finds new study
A new study of the Medical University of Vienna shows that separated rooms in gastronomy are not effective in regards to smoking. The Institute of Environmental Hygiene measured the effect of ultrafine dust particles on the health of non-smokers in 134 bars and restaurants in Vienna.

Raiffeisen boss has to pay crash costs himself
Erwin Hameseder, head of the Raiffeisen-Holding Lower Austria-Vienna will have to pay himself for the damage of the car accident he caused with his Porsche 911 on 3 April. An expert report stated that there was a cause and effect relationship between tyres and the accident.

Mass picnic to protest against ban on sitting on the lawns
Visitors of the Augarten park in Vienna were driven off green areas as the Federal Parks and Gardens Authority have started to control the observance of park rules. This has caused a debate.

Row over slow pace of Schwedenplatz redevelopment
The planned redevelopment of Schwedenplatz and Morzinplatz in Vienna has caused troubles. Head of the district Ursula Stenzel (ÖVP) thinks that the planning phase is taking too long. Planning Chief Maria Vassilakou rejects the accusations.

Fire show at medieval village in the Bohemian Prater
The Bohemian Prater in Vienna Favoriten will turn into a medieval village, once again. Visitors will be able to experience dances of witches, show fights, fire breathers and a torture show.

Schools in Vienna discuss possible phone ban
Several schools in Vienna are currently considering whether they can ban mobile phones. Phones often disturb the lessons and students also use their smartphones in the breaks. The school board of the city opposes a complete ban.