Yesterday we toured Schönbrunn Palace, and when we got to the ballroom our guide asked if we knew how long imperial balls lasted in the age of Maria Theresa. The obvious answer is "a few hours," with the exact length variable. But here's how things went:
Short silence, then someone pipes up.
"24 hours."
"Three days!"
"A week."
"Never. There were no imperial balls." (We were literally standing in the imperial ballroom.)
This is an impressive example of groupthink. We've all seen a million period movies and TV shows where people show up in the evening for balls and then leave later in the night, all gossiping about who caught the eye of Baron Handsome and who danced with Countess Beautiful. Nevertheless, because one person in our group thought it was a trick question and answered "24 hours," everyone followed along, each trying to outdo the others even though their answers made no sense.
Is this a good story? Beats me, but I'm easily amused. In any case, the answer turned out to be 2½ hours, because that's how long imperial candles lasted.
And here's the ballroom itself. It was surprisingly small. Add some musicians and chairs, and imperial ballgoers must have been packed in like sardines. That's fine in winter, but Schönbrunn was a summer palace. These must have been uncomfortable affairs even aside from the torture chamber clothes they all had to wear.
Oh, the length of time of a given ball, not the time period in which balls were being held.
😉
Imperial ball holder was not a lifetime appointment?
What a thing to have to spend a lifetime holding.
So much comedy potential here.
As a engineer and half assed art nerd, I look at that photo and think of the levels of technology, engineering, building talent and art talent it took to make that room happen and it was only a room in the palace.
I think I would have guessed 5 hours. Why else would the Ball still be going on at Midnight?
Europe is pretty far north, so in summer, it's still pretty light out until late into the evening.
Just because a room exists does not mean it is used. I have a living room but nobody is ever in there because all the fun stuff is in the family room -- TV, bookshelves, computer and beer fridge.
Was there a candle shortage? They couldn't just replace an old one with a new one?
The Chandelier would have to be lowered and the candle holders on the side wall require ladders. And most importantly, the work would have to be done by servants--and not the nice ones who cater to the people at the party.
Let them burn cake.
Why do you have a room that isn't to be used?
Even my grandparents' formal living room was used for seasonal events.
> ballgoers must have been packed in like sardines. That's fine in winter, but Schönbrunn was a summer palace. These must have been uncomfortable affairs even aside from the torture chamber clothes they all had to wear.
There are like 40 people in the picture. How many people attended an imperial ball? In _Bridgerton_, that's about the right number of people in the main ballroom. Plus numerous people around the mansion and on the patio. And summer from 8:30pm to 11pm seems not that horrifically hot.
Groupthink is when a group agrees with an answer because individually they have no opinion themselves.
It's not random shouts.
Kevin - I see you managed to get on the other side of the "do not cross" rope. I guess that's what a fancy camera will do for you.
Usually you can't see the rope the camera is sitting above
Invented by the Hapsburgs. Emulated by a thousand American hotels.
Coulda had backup chandeliers and sconces ready to rotate into position from hiding places up in the ceiling and behind walls, with new candles ready to light up as the first round chandelier candles burned down. She could have danced all night.
Knight me, Maria! I might make a good knight ladies.
How do you light them and hoist them into position? That seems... delicate.
The ceiling chandeliers will be mounted on a beautiful Ferris wheel type mechanism. As round one chandelier candles wane, round two chandelier candles are lit by careful folk in the attic above the ballroom. Dancers marvel as the two chandeliers begin to wheel overhead; the first brilliant chandelier slowly disappearing into the attic as a second even more stunning chandelier, ablaze with bright new candles, wheels into view overhead.
If I can find a way some enchanted eve, I’m taking these plans back.
If you think the balls were something, you should see the dinners.
https://youtu.be/iBuhi_rEL6A?si=qwctIAS5Vd1w-NPH&t=686