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State Opera boss and ORF star at war as Opera Ball approaches

The Opera Ball, Austria�s biggest high society event, has been overshadowed by bickering between the State Opera�s director and a popular TV presenter.

Outspoken Ioan Holender, who will retire as the Opera Ball�s head later this year after 18 years in charge, made clear he would not be available for a TV interview if conducted by Alfons Haider.

The homosexual ORF presenter recently caused a stir by branding Austria a "shit and dishonest country" over mixed reactions after his coming-out years ago.

Romanian-born tennis fan Holender � who has been at loggerheads with Haider for years � accused Haider of having made a xenophobic remark after he called him "that Romanian tennis coach".

And when ORF boss Alexander Wrabetz�s mobile phone started to ring during last week�s Opera Ball press conference, Holender provoked laughter by saying: "Take the call, Alex. It might be an ORF presenter cancelling his Opera Ball engagement."

Speaking about the national broadcaster�s Opera Ball coverage, Holender told profil magazine: "It�s a mystery to me why so many people watch it as it lasts hours and is boring."

ORF bosses meanwhile announced the event will be screened in China for the first time as Chinese station SMG became the latest company to acquire national rights to broadcast the 11 February bash which will be aired in dozens of countries across the world.

ORF 1 will start its coverage with a documentary at 8.15pm before reporting live from the red carpet and from inside the State Opera at 9.15pm.

Claudia Reiterer, Kati Bellowitsch, Barbara Rett, Alfons Haider, Dominic Heinzl, Christoph Wagner-Trenkwitz and Karl Hohenlohe will present the station�s programme.

The ORF�s coverage will be challenged by ATV�s Opera Ball-themed productions.

The private broadcaster will have a camera team following legendary German entertainer Thomas Gottschalk, while a "Die Lugners" special will reveal the Opera Ball preparations of veteran Vienna playboy Richard Lugner who will attend the event with Hollywood star Lindsay Lohan this year.

Desiree Treichl-St�rgkh, head organiser of the Opera Ball, has meanwhile said the top high society event has not been affected by the economic crisis this year. "Many companies that decided not to book boxes last year will return," she said.

Austrian Times

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Holender Austria event challenged Alfons Opera presenter Lugners Karl 15pm broadcaster Trenkwitz themed national society Romanian tennis star Haider Ball

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