Crisis? What crisis?

Although the financial crisis is lurking around every corner, it will not prevent the rich and the famous of the Viennese society from attending the famous Opera Ball. Sadly, "tickets for the 2009 edition have already been sold out" organiser Desiree Treichl-Stuergkh announced on Thursday. "The Ball has a long tradition and has already survived several crises," she added.

The Opera Ball is the place-to-be in the Austrian social calendar - every year about 5,000 guests come from all around the world to join the event(including celebrities and politicians, sport stars and businessmen). Everything is not as rosecoloured, though. At least two huge banks, Austria's Volksbank and Constantia, seriously hit by the crisis, resigned from the loge booked in recent years.

For those of you, who'd like to participate in future events - getting a loge officially costs 17,000 euros (22,300 dollars), but companies wishing to book a loge this year had to lay out some 42,000 euros. A simple ticket costs 230 euros (remeber to get a date and double the price).

For all of the "Desperate Housewives" fans - this year, Nicollette Sheridan (the infamous Edie Britt) will be attending the event. Oh, wish we were there...