Managing Director Vivian Honert-Boddin in an interview with Glücksinterview

In the great happiness interview, we talk to Vivian Honert-Boddin, the Managing Director of the Leipzig Opera Ball. She talks about the great happiness of being able to organize the Leipzig Opera Ball for 13 years and is pleased about the great popularity of the guests. The studied literary scholar has been working in the event industry for years, in 2007 she took over the business of the ball.

WHAT DO YOU ASSOCIATE WITH HAPPINESS?

As your question already implies – happiness is something very individual and has no claim to objectivity. Except perhaps the happiness of being healthy, which has currently taken on a completely different significance – because health is no longer the normal state. You suddenly become aware of them in a completely different way. I believe that the feeling of happiness is also something very situational and changes, just as I change. There is no ultimate happiness trigger. It would be nice if there was. Happiness, so to speak, at the touch of a button. Something like that would certainly make life easier. For example, I can feel great happiness in nature. At the sight of flowers, a beautiful landscape or a sunset, a feeling of happiness flows through me. Or in a wonderful concert. Music can make me happy. But for sure this happens especially in situations where I am happy anyway. For me, happiness has a lot to do with inner balance. I believe that only when I feel inner strength and balance can I really be happy. The most important and constant factor for my happiness is, of course, the people who are close to me.

WHAT WAS THE GREATEST HAPPINESS IN LIFE FOR YOU PERSONALLY?

This directly follows on from what was said last. The people in my life are my greatest happiness. It has to do with deep feelings and intense contacts, with shared experiences and responsibilities that you take on for each other. Give happiness and get it as a gift.

"DANCING MAKES YOU HAPPY" IS OFTEN SAID. DO YOU SHARE THIS STATEMENT WITH US WHEN YOU THINK OF THE MANY DANCING FEET AT THE OPERA BALL?

Definitely. Dancing is one of the oldest forms of expression of people and a blessing for the soul. This can be seen especially beautifully in children who express their joie de vivre in dance. It is not for nothing that dancing is also used for therapeutic purposes. Dancing relaxes and makes you happy, especially as a community experience. In my opinion, much more should be danced.

THEY ORGANIZE THE LEIPZIG OPERA BALL AND EXPERIENCE IT EVERY YEAR ANEW AND ARE THERE UP CLOSE: MORE THAN 2000 GUESTS, STARS, GREAT MUSICAL PERFORMANCES, EXCELLENT FOOD. WHAT MAKES YOU PARTICULARLY HAPPY ABOUT THIS TASK?

I am very lucky to have been able to organize this ball for Leipzig for more than 10 years. And it always makes me happy to experience the great response of the guests and their joy at the ball evening for myself. Every year we dedicate the Leipzig Opera Ball to a partner city or country of Leipzig and have already had guests from China and Israel, from the USA and Russia, from Ukraine, Italy, France, the Netherlands – to name just a few. The nice thing about it is that in this way we have the opportunity to make music together with people from all over the world, to dance, to learn about the culinary peculiarities of the respective countries and thus get to know each other better and to reduce any existing prejudices. This is very important in today's world. The fact that we can make a small contribution to bringing people closer to each other makes me very happy year after year. Just like the fact that we can support the foundation "Leipzig hilft Kinder" with our raffle.

HAVE YOU EVER VISITED A CASINO AND IF SO, WHAT WERE YOUR EXPERIENCES THERE?

Yes, I was once in St. Maxime, a small town on the Côte d'Azur, in a casino. It was a spontaneous idea together with friends. We had a good time.