25.01.2019.
Binički Ensemble at Saint Sava Ball in Vienna
On 24th January, the Stanislav Binicki Art Ensemble of the Ministry of Defence took part at the Saint Sava Ball, hosted by the Serbian Centre from Vienna at the Parkhotel Schoenbrunn.
During the opening ceremony, those present were addressed by Ambassador of the Republic of Serbia to Austria His Excellency Nebojša Rodić and the President of Republika Srpska, Željka Cvijanović, who opened the ball and emphasized the importance of fostering the cultural and religious traditions of the Serbs.Stating that “the rich offer of Viennese balls would not be complete and would not reflect the spirit of the metropolis on the Danube, if the Saint Sava Ball was not in the calendar”, his Excellency Nebojša Rodić said in his address that this is an opportunity to remember the Saint Sava and the behest that the fate of the Serbian people depends on the commitment to development and education of young people. In this manner, while the Ensemble was in Vienna, Ambassador Rodić hosted a reception where he thanked all the members who cherish and distribute the fame of Serbian music and military music throughout the country and the world.
After performing the Hymn of Saint Sava, beats of the Serbian Quadrille by Johann Strauss Junior started the 22nd edition of the Viennese ball dedicated to Saint Sava's Day. In the musical part of the programme, the soloists were Nikola Rokvić, Tijana Dapčević, Željko Samardžić, Iva Mrvoš, Danica Krstić, Ranko Jović, Gordana Lazarević, and the Ensemble was conducted by maestro Vojkan Borisavljević. “Stevan Mokranjac” Cultural Artistic Society, duo Piler, “Habanera” Academic Dance Club from Banja Luka and the Police Orchestra of the Ministry of Internal Affairs of Republika Srpska participated in the programme. The guests were guided through the programme by the actors Jelena Jovičić and Slobodan Stefanović.
Among more than 500 invitees, the Saint Sava Ball was attended by Minister of Labour, Employment, Veterans and Social Affairs Zoran Đorđević, State Secretary at the Ministry of Culture and Information Aleksandar Gajović, representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Rastko Janković, representative of the Diocese of Switzerland and Austria Father Filip Milunović and numerous guests from the public life of the Republic of Austria and the city of Vienna.
The tradition of holding Serbian balls in the Austrian capital dates back to the 19th century when the first Saint Sava Ball in Vienna was initiated by Prince Miloš Obrenović back in 1846, in order to gather there noted Serbs and European diplomats with an intention to promote Serbia and its culture. With the same intention, over 20 years ago, the Serbian Center in Vienna has revived the tradition of the Saint Sava Ball and the glamor that accompanies this event, and it has grown into one of the most prestigious manifestations for the Serbs in Vienna and their friends.
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