Jump to full article: Times Of London (uk), 2005-01-20
Author: From Michael Leidig in Vienna
Intro: THE Opera Ball, the highlight of Vienna’s social calendar, will offer its thousands of guests an extra speciality next month alongside the traditional Sachertorte and the Blue Danube waltz: nicotine inhalers.
They will be available to help guests to cope with the shock of a ban on smoking imposed by Ioan Holender, the Opera’s director.
Smoking is as much a part of Vienna’s café society as coffee and pastries. At least half of Austrians smoke. Some of the ball’s enthusiasts have demanded Herr Holender’s resignation and threatened legal action.
In an attempt to head off the fury that threatens the only profit-making event in the opera house’s year, Herr Holender has pledged to pay for the nicotine inhalers.
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