Prächtiges barockes Deckenfresko als Einstimmung auf den Großen Maskenball des Rokoko
Impressions of the Rococo Masked Ball

The Flair of the Epoch

The History and Magic of the Rococo

"My life's aspiration has ever been devoted
to the joys of my senses. Born with a profound inclination
for the fair sex, I have ever loved them
and set all my endeavors upon winning their love."
Chevalier de Seingalt

Let yourself be seduced, much like the ladies by the famous Chevalier. Few things are as enticing and mysterious as the gleam of eyes behind a Venetian mask. A intoxication of the senses, a bewitching bacchanal – plunge into a world where time seems to stand still and the game of love awakens to the rhythm of the minuet.

For this single night, become nymphs, fauns, and deities united in magnificent splendor, losing yourselves in the dance. Dionysus invites you...

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I. The Fascination of the Era around 1750
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II. Life and Festivities at Court
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III. The Play of Masks
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IV. The Playground of Eichstätt
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V. Tradition of the Rococo Balls
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VI. Musical Masterpieces
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VII. Of Dance Angels and Support

I. The Fascination of the Era around 1750

Yet what precisely defines the Rococo? Why is this epoch so irresistibly fascinating even in our modern day? Perhaps it is the pure joy in the lightness of being, paired with an incomparable modish elegance. Silk, lace, powdered wigs, and the mysterious play behind Venetian masks shaped a society that celebrated the art of conversation and dance to perfection. In a fast-paced present, we may perhaps yearn precisely for this magnificent deceleration and stylish companionship.

Louis XIV is dead... long live the king... for all eyes still turn toward Versailles. Be it for the new splendor, fashion, and manners, or the distinct French court ceremonial that renders the sovereign more approachable and thereby lets him shine all the brighter.

II. Life and Festivities at the Courts of the Prince-Bishops

Courtly life around 1750 was a continuous festival of the senses. At the residences of the powerful prince-bishops, representation was paramount. They surrounded themselves with grand architecture, refined music, and lavish festivities. A ball at such a court was not merely a social event, but a masterful staging of power, grace, and courtly etiquette. It is precisely this atmosphere of celebratory pomp and exuberant joy that we bring back to life today.

III. The Play of Masks

If the gaze toward Versailles dictated the majestic form of the epoch, the Republic of Venice supplied the intoxicating substance. At the zenith of the Carnevale di Venezia, the lagoon city transformed annually into the undisputed European capital of pleasure. It was the world of Giacomo Casanova, a realm of adventure and galant intrigues, where life itself was staged as a grand, perpetual theatrical play.

The mask – whether the classical bauta or the mysterious moretta – served by no means merely as a fashionable accessory in this festival of the senses. It advanced to become the symbol of ultimate freedom. Behind the shimmering backdrop of velvet, silk, and twilight, all distinctions of rank dissolved for the duration of the festivities. The aristocrat walked unrecognized beside the commoner, and the rigid protocol of daily life gave way to the delightful game of the hidden.

Within this anonymous space, seduction was elevated to the highest art form. It was a social parquet where a fleeting glance through the eye-slits of a larva or the gentle rustling of a silk fan promised more than a thousand words, and the nights within the magnificent palazzi seemed never-ending.

IV. The Playground of Rococo: Eichstätt

A more dignified setting for our endeavor can scarcely be imagined. Eichstätt, with its splendid squares, the prince-episcopal residence, and its elegant halls, provides the perfect architectural backdrop. Whoever walks today in historical attire through the alleys or steps into the magnificent chambers senses instantly: This city is a true playground of the Rococo. It offers us the perfect stage to bring the elegance and splendor of the 18th century into the present.

V. A Splendid Tradition

Our Grand Masked Ball looks back with pride on a long and exceedingly glorious tradition. Following the enchanting events as the Grand Hunting & Masked Ball at Schloss Wiesenthau, the celebration has now found its ultimate destiny. Through the original sumptuous furnishings of the Prince-Episcopal Residence in Eichstätt, an atmosphere is created that surpasses even the unforgettable brilliance of our former Margrave Balls in the Ansbach Orangerie.

VI. Musical Masterpieces

That this enterprise was permitted to grow to such grandeur and grace we owe not least to our excellent musicians. It is an inestimable privilege to glide across the parquet to the original melodies and historical arrangements of masterful baroque and rococo ensembles. They are the ones who breathe the true spirit of the epoch into our celebrations with light-footed virtuosity.

VII. Of Dance Angels and an Inestimable Support

This magnificent work would be unthinkable without the tireless dedication of faithful companions. My deepest gratitude belongs to all those helping hands – my true "dance angels" – who work before and behind the scenes. A very special thanks goes to my dear wife, who supports me at every step and accompanies the turmoil of ball preparations with admirable composure and endless patience.