Contractor Richard Lugner (89) is known for a variety of things: For his nickname “Mortar”, the animal nickname that he gives his friends who are always much younger – and of course for the Vienna Opera Ball. For decades, the question of which prominent lady he will have in tow has caused a stir in the run-up to the event. Compared to “Bild am Sonntag”, Lugner, who will be 90 next Tuesday (October 11), has now revealed which world star he would like for the upcoming Opera Ball.
“Lady Gaga would be great, but she probably won’t come to me,” says “Mortel” realistically. “I would have to sign my Lugner City over to her.” In fact, Lady Gaga (36), who, in addition to her singing career, has long since gained a foothold as a successful actress in Hollywood, should not be dependent on the fee that is available for a short visit to the Vienna Opera Ball.
Lugner will no longer be able to welcome his other big guest in this life – for other conceivable reasons: “That was Liz Taylor. We really tried everything, but unfortunately it didn’t work out until her death.”
What Lugner’s star guests have mostly caused in recent years, in addition to glamor and attention, is a lot of drama. In 2014, for example, he steered It-Girl Kim Kardashian (41) to Vienna, who complained about racist derailments on site after her short visit. According to Lugner, skier Lindsey Vonn (37) should sit by his side in the box in 2020, but publicly canceled the project a little later. Italian actress Ornella Muti (67) was presented as a short-term replacement.
The first Lugner guest was Harry Belafonte (95) in 1992, Grace Jones (74), Pamela Anderson (55), Carmen Electra (50), Paris Hilton (41) and Geri Halliwell (50) also followed “Mörtel’s” call. The most notable stars of recent years were Goldie Hawn (76) in 2017 and Melanie Griffith (65) the following year. The event had to be canceled in both 2022 and 2021 due to the corona pandemic.
Traditionally, the Vienna Opera Ball takes place on the Thursday before Ash Wednesday. In 2023 this would be February 16th. Who will then accompany “Mörtel” is still in the stars – also in relation to his private life: “I [am] currently single,” said Lugner to “BamS”. But he has precise ideas for a future lady at his side: “She should be over 40 and have a business acumen.”
