The Vienna Opera Ball Orchestra under the direction of Laszlo Gyüker impressed the Tunisian audience in the sold-out amphitheater in El Jem with a firework display of the most beautiful compositions by Johann Strauss. The two soloists Verena Tranker and Clemen Kerschbaumer impressed with their powerful voices with the Spring Voices Waltz and Sandor Barinkay's entrance song from The Gypsy Baron respectively. The premiere of Pavel Singer's "OMV-Galopp", dedicated to all the evening's sponsors, was received with enthusiasm by the 3000 or so visitors. 

The new Austrian Ambassador to Tunisia, Stephan Vavrik, and the President of the Austrian-Tunisian Society, Othman Zenagui, hosted a reception in Sousse before the event to meet Managing Director Prof. Herbert Fischerauer, Chief Conductor Laszlo Gyüker and the two soloists in person.

According to official figures, the Tunisian National Solidarity Fund has provided over 80,000 families with energy and drinking water, built thousands of kilometers of roads, health centers and schools in the years of its existence. These investments are financed by the Austrian concert presence in El Jem and by donations from numerous companies and individuals.  

Die Festivalleitung unter Mabrok Layoumi und Ramzi Jenaih freut sich bereits auf das nächste Jahr, wenn das Wiener Opernball Orchester bereits zum 28. Mal nach El Jem reisen wird!