Masquerade

When was the last time you were at a masquerade party? MASQUERADE cordially invites you to it! And not only that, we celebrate the end of a hunt together. The hunting party returns successfully and prepares for a lavish feast... You will receive a mask when you enter the festival grounds. Play with us! Find out what it means to be "incognito" - whether by wearing the mask yourself or by watching our artists meet, tell royal stories, succumb to temptations and expose themselves to animal powers. Dance places are waiting for you. Learn the fan language, listen to fantastic stories. Pick up the croquet mallet and chase the white deer....

Dress code: We ask all participants to dress in a festive WHITE outfit..
There are no limits to your imagination. Fancifully designed masks will be available at the entrance on site. They are already included in the admission price.

Why were masked balls so popular in the Baroque era?

In aristocratically dominated societies, masked balls were a popular occasion for the nobility to suspend the ruling order for a short while. Under the protection of the mask, anyone could approach anyone, crossing not only class but also gender barriers.

The masked balls of the "Sun King" Louis XIV in Versailles were legendary. His granddaughter-in-law Marie Antoinette was so enthusiastic about the freedom behind the mask that she did not want to give up her second face even outside the masked balls.

This "freedom" behind the mask is also a theme at Masquerade: does it make us more courageous, make our ego feel freer, or is it etiquette and the imposed constraint of a social role? We want to celebrate our festival visitors' own encounter with the mask as well as with other masked beings. Dance, dance, dance, for the night ends....

Conceptually,  the evening begins with a playful entrée. At nightfall, an elaborate shadow play is performed. After the first dances, we divide the audience into four groups that are led through the evening. The park will be dosed in atmospheric light and become a castle with different rooms. But don't worry, everything will be set at your own pace and according to your own desire...

The mask is the evenings lead actor – we invite you to the masked ball! Dance, encounters, baroque, music, decadence, dream and reality – but also the hunt are the co-players of this dreamlike ANU night... be sure to wear good and comfortable shoes!