Will be "very personal"

Lugner farewell with many opera ball references

There will be many references to the Opera Ball at Richard Lugner's funeral service.

(Bild: APA/TOBIAS STEINMAURER)

According to his family, Richard Lugner's funeral service on Saturday at St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna will be "very personal". For example, several references to the late master builder's greatest passion, the Vienna Opera Ball, are planned. 

In addition to the Third President of the National Council, Norbert Hofer (FPÖ), the President of the Lower Austrian Parliament, Karl Wilfing (ÖVP), and the actress Edith Leyrer will also give speeches.

Funeral service in the spirit of the Opera Ball
At the memorial service, which will begin at 9 a.m., after the welcoming address by cathedral priest Toni Faber, the program will also include a performance by singer Dennis Jale in addition to the speeches.

Richard Lunger's funeral service will take place on Saturday and, according to his family, will be "very personal" - including references to the Opera Ball.

(Bild: Klemens Groh)

The end of the ceremony in particular will be peppered with elements of the Opera Ball. Faber told the APA that the fan polonaise by Carl Michael Ziehrer, which is traditionally played at the Opera Ball, will be performed in the cathedral.

The wake is also dedicated to the ball. This will be taken over by Christian Löschnigg and his team, who has protected the Baumeister's box from intrusive journalists and guests for around 15 years. "It is a great honor for me to be able to accompany the master builder on his last journey," Löschnigg told APA.

From the opera to Lugner City
The public funeral services will begin at 8 a.m. with the laying out of Lugner's coffin in St. Stephen's Cathedral. The end is planned for around 10.00 am. The Deutschmeister, who accompanied the master builder musically for many years, will then play the Radetzky March in front of St. Stephen's Cathedral.

Richard Lugner's last journey will also take him past Lugner City.

(Bild: APA/TANJA UNGERBÖCK)

After the ceremony, the mourners will set off with Lugner's coffin in a procession of several cars, accompanied by the ringing of the cathedral bells, to visit the two largest stages of the master builder's life. First of all, they will drive along the Ring to the Vienna State Opera, where Lugner made his annual grand entrance with star guests at the Opera Ball, until around 10.30 am.

Then, until around 11.45 a.m., the tour continues to Lugner City, which the deceased built up into one of the most successful shopping centers in the country. Until the end, there was hardly a day when Lugner was not present in his office on the third floor.

Fans can send their condolences
The public part of the funeral service will then end at Lugner City. However, the public still has the opportunity to sign the book of condolence in the shopping center.

Richard Lugner with ex-wife Christine "Mausi" Lugner and daughter Jacqueline Lugner: The family asks that "privacy be respected" at the funeral.

(Bild: picturedesk.com/Andreas Tischler)

The Himmelblau funeral service has also set up an online book of condolence on behalf of the family. Here you can say goodbye to Richard Lugner with personal words and express your sympathy.

Burial in private
The actual funeral will then take place in a crypt at Grinzinger Cemetery in Vienna-Döbling with the closest family and friends after a funeral service at Kaasgraben Church.

Here, the family implores both the public and media representatives to "respect their privacy". Lugner chose the 200 or so invited guests himself before his death.

Lugner died on August 12 in his villa in Vienna-Döbling at the age of 91. He had previously struggled with health problems on several occasions and most recently had to undergo a serious heart operation.