Pre-Christmas Gathering 2015

It was a farewell of sorts. H E Susan Le Jeune D’Allegeershecque, Her Britannic Majesty’s Ambassador to Austria announced to 160 ABS Members that this would be her last Pre-Christmas Party with us at the Embassy.

 A new posting awaits her next year at a location so far unknown. ABS President, Dr Kurt Tiroch thanked the Ambassador for the great support the club has received over the past three years and presented her with flowers and a signed copy of his recently published book. Never let a marketing opportunity slip by!

ABS Vice-President Ambassador Dr Alexander Christiani introduced Marialena Fernandes, the brilliant, internationally acclaimed, concert pianist and professor at the University of Music and Performing Arts in Vienna. She graciously had agreed to step in for KS Johan Botha who unexpectedly had fallen ill. The musical evening finished after Ms Fernades’ soulful rendition of Robert Schumann’s, “Scenes from a childhood” with two Christmas Carols and our very Austrian “Silent Night” with the excellent support from 160 well tuned voices.

After 8 pm, as one would expect, I observed the waiters starting to clear up the bar only to re-emerge around 8.30 pm with fresh glasses and wine. Thus the party continued in high spirits well past 9 pm with the Ambassador, who was clearly enjoying herself, still being amongst us.

Wolfgang Geissler

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