Original subtitles

I'm the living example of "better late than never."

Until a few years ago,

my life was steady, predictable, reassuringly repetitive.

But my recent adventures have changed all that.

So, what's next for me?

Now that I'm considered something of a traveler,

I've challenged myself to complete my own bucket list

before actually kicking the bucket.

I did a lot of research,

kept an open mind...

Who's going hiking in the Amazon?

...and came up with a list of my own.

Take a look at this.

Welcome to London!

Never felt more like a tourist.

These are some of the greatest...

...once in a lifetime travel experiences you can have.

Don't take this the wrong way,

but this is a horrible ride.

Tick that off the bucket list.

-This is my first time in Ireland. -Of course, I've been here before.

-Yep. Once. -Once or twice.

-Once. -Once.

Whether they should be once in my lifetime...

Oh!

...is another matter.

Whoo-hoo!

-But I'd like to think... -Whoa!

...I've gotten a little bit bolder...

It's hard to believe I'm actually here.

...a little bit braver...

What a save!

Of course I work well under pressure.

...so this could be my most memorable trip yet.

Was getting drunk with Prince William on your bucket list?

-That's the bucket. -That's the bucket, is it?

I'm looking for a street called "Typhineshpraha."

It's like I've been here for years, isn't it?

Now that my passport has seen its fair share of stamps,

I guess I'm no longer a tourist, but I'm feeling more like a traveler.

Ah.

You could drop me anywhere, and I would know what's what.

"Enzel Far-Farken..."

Uh... "Farkwarken."

I'm not sure.

Nothing yet.

Oh! Now we're cooking.

That's my ticket to ride.

Next up on my travels is the capital of Austria, Vienna.

A city of pastries, cafés and classical music.

It's basically my European dream.

I've been a classical music fan since high school

when I was in the school orchestra.

And got to know what that sound is like.

There's something kind of exciting about that.

I've been invited to the 82nd Vienna Philharmonic Ball.

Hailed as an elite celebration of classical music and dancing.

I've got a 48-hour behind-the-scenes pass to see how this one comes to life.

I don't believe I've ever been to a ball before.

And I'm really quite excited.

What do you know about these balls?

They're enormous.

An enormous set of balls!

For centuries, the city has hosted more than 400 formal dances a year.

And today, they're as popular as ever.

It's kind of an odd thing in this day and age,

especially for somebody like me, a North American.

So I'm curious to find out

why something that seems so old-fashioned is still celebrated.

I think this is the place.

Musikverein.

And look at that. Is that not a beautiful little building?

SOCIETY OF FRIENDS OF MUSIC IN VIENNA

The Musikverein is a world-renowned concert hall,

that has hosted this gala since their very first ball in 1924.

With just two days to go,

it's the perfect place to begin my whirlwind tour.

-Hello, Eugene! -Hello. It's nice to meet you.

Please come in. It's warm inside.

-Thank you. Whoo! Is it cold? -Yes. Of course.

-How's everything going? -It's wonderful, you know.

For nearly a decade, Paul has been overseeing this huge event.

The ball is most definitely in his court.

-How many people are gonna be here? -Ah, it's nearly 3,000.

-3,000 people? -People are dancing, yes.

In the hall, we have the last rehearsal of the debutants.

I'll show you the Golden Hall of the Viennese Musikverein.

Oh, my...

"Debutants" sounds like something from a Jane Austen novel,

yet these 200 young people will be keeping this tradition alive,

performing the opening dance.

And this is a famous polka. Tik-tak.

Tik-tak, tik-tak...

So good!

After a strict audition process,

these debutants have been rigorously rehearsing for three months.

The kids are great!

That was so spectacular to watch

because back home, you don't see kids waltzing.

It's really popular for young people here in Vienna to be a debutant at balls.

It's such a big tradition in Austria.

And I just always wanted to be part of it.

What was it like for you the first time you came?

It's amazing. The first time Vera asked me to dance with her,

I felt excited, you know, honored to be part of this whole thing.

It's just like visiting a fantasy, or like the past,

just having a window to the past, and just living in it.

Yeah.

In the old days, you know, debutantes coming to the ball

was kind of like trying to find a potential partner for life, in a way.

Today the big reason for debutants would be...

-What? -To have fun.

-To have fun. -To have fun.

-Yeah. -Pure and simple.

-Yeah. -To dance.

-That's it? -This was a tradition.

And nowadays the tradition goes on. I think this is beautiful.

We met at a ball actually two years ago, and we're a couple in real life.

So this is kind of a Cinderella story.

-Wow! -Yeah.

That's amazing.

You're all very, very impressive, I have to say.

Well, how cute are these kids?

There's a sweetness about getting excited about waltzing

and excited about the ball.

Here, it's a big part of life.

It's a big part of kind of entering adulthood.

And I think there's a place for that in this world.

That's dancing. That's dancing.

The balls might not be quite as stuffy as I once thought.

But that's not to say I can't do things properly

and in style.

Well, this is beautiful.

It was built in 1862.

And if you think that every king and queen of this world walked up this staircase.

I'm staying at the Hotel Imperial,

a royal palace until it was transformed in the 19th century

to showcase the city as a cultural capital.

It's now a favorite retreat for ballgoers.

And here I will show you your apartment.

You see, this is what I've been missing.

I think I can get a good night's sleep in here.

-I'm sure. -Beautiful.

How many royals have actually stayed in this suite?

How much time do you have?

I can count over half an hour all the kings and queens.

Frank Sinatra, Ella Fitzgerald.

-King Frank? -Sammy Davis Jr., Rolling Stones,

-Michael Jackson, David Gallagher... -Wow!

The Majesty Queen Elizabeth, but she was also here.

And now I'm here. I think this is the definition of lowering the bar.

It's pretty damn fancy.

A lot of people have stayed here, apparently.

Queen Elizabeth slept right in that bed,

along with the Stones.

I don't necessarily mean together.

Well, I think Vienna is like a time capsule.

There is a tradition and formality you don't find anywhere else.

I find that charming.

Actually, getting to a ball here, that's a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

There's an Austrian saying that goes, "The morning has gold in its mouth."

So, in a city known for its sweet tooth,

what I want to get in my mouth is breakfast!

Oh, it's chilly this morning, isn't it?

Oh, yes, definitely.

-That looks good. What is he making? -It's an Austrian dessert

similar to a fluffy pancake with a little bit of rum and raisins in there.

Now we're talkin'.

See, this is what we don't have back home.

Fluffy pancake stands.

What do you call these pancakes?

It's Kaiserschmarrn.

-Kaiser... schmarrn. -Schmarrn.

Kaiserschmarrn.

Kaiserschmarrn means "emperor's mess", which is actually a shredded pancake.

Oh, my god.

This is my new favorite dish now.

How much will it cost to get this recipe?

Do we love Vienna?

But enough about food, for the time being at least.

I'm here to see what it takes to pull off a grand ball.

I always enjoy the behind-the-scenes look at just about anything.

You know, there's a lot racing around to get things done.

And you wonder how they're gonna do it.

Ah. Hello, Eugene!

I'm told the ball takes an entire year to organize.

And I can well imagine that's true.

It's a big undertaking, isn't it?

It is, of course, yes.

We have more than 6,000 flowers, only for this evening.

We have good wines here. We have sausages.

Can you imagine that here the people eat more than 7,000 sausages?

I'm not sure that would help your dancing.

As well as the catering for over 3,000 guests,

there's still only 24 hours to transform this concert hall

into something truly regal.

These balls, is it a high-society kind of thing?

The Vienna Philharmonic Ball, yes. But there are different balls.

Every profession in Vienna has a ball.

Sweet makers, people who make decoration like flowers,

lawyers, coffee houses...

They also have a ball.

-Oh, I see. Okay. -So this is really a great part

of the Austrian culture.

It's gonna be something to witness. It's kinda why I'm here.

Yeah. And also to dance, or...

I'm not really big on dancing.

It's easy, look.

It's easy.

Uh...

Who am I dancing with?

She is the great-granddaughter of Richard Strauss.

The Blue Danube?

That's Johann Strauss.

-It's the other Strauss. -Wrong Strauss.

-Yes. -It's a good thing

I didn't say Levi Strauss!

So that's, like, music royalty?

Okay.

She better have little steel plates on her shoes,

because I'm not a great dancer.

Being known for having two left feet,

it's safe to say I'm a bit of a liability on the ballroom floor.

But if acting's taught me anything, when in doubt, dress the part.

This is my first ball.

I don't imagine it's T-shirts and cut-offs.

To be honest, I'm actually kind of excited about this.

I still like to put a jacket on for dinner.

The idea that they're kind of putting on the Ritz, as they say,

kind of appeals to me.

With roughly 300,000 people flocking to the festivities annually,

tailors seem to line every street in this city.

-Hello? -Oh. Hi. Ulisses.

-Ulisses. -I'm head of menswear here.

-Let me take your coat. -Is that right?

Yes.

I'm going to the Vienna Philharmonic Ball.

So this is one of the big ones?

And one of the most formal ones.

For these events you need a Frack.

-Sorry? -A Frack, it's called.

If you were to call a tux a Frack back home,

they'd wash your mouth out with soap.

Should be...

34.

Sounds about right, yeah.

On the low end or the high end?

Hmm... A bit on the higher end.

Thank you, Ulisses.

Yabba! Yai yai yai.

-So I'm buttoning the shirt up. -Yeah.

I think we need a 16 and a half.

Maybe!

You might have noticed your shirt has a hole in it.

Ooh, that's good if you get an itch.

Uh... but what it is good for is to put the buttons in.

They are screw-on.

Oh, this is gonna be so easy.

You are looking fine already.

That looks pretty damn good.

First time in a tailcoat, you kinda feel highfalutin, you know?

Hello, how are you?

Nice to see you. Lovely to see you.

Lovely ball tonight, isn't it?

Right?

You mind telling me the time maybe?

Oh, the time...

The-The time...

Uh... How do you open this?

Do you have the time, while I tell you the time?

Sure, yeah.

In Vienna, there's a reverence for tradition.

On the surface, it might seem silly, maybe overdone,

but the formality, I actually love.

Thank you, Ulisses.

My pleasure.

Now, I might not be totally suited to a Frack.

But I have to say, I'm loving Vienna.

How beautiful is this city?

In the 17th and 18th centuries,

the wealth of the Austrian royal family attracted composers

like Mozart, Strauss and Beethoven.

There is a musical presence everywhere.

And you can hear the strings, can't you?

I kind of hear the sound of a harpsichord.

And their fanfares, waltzes, and polkas became key to Vienna's social evenings.

The great composers were probably walking these very streets.

Well, there it is.

Huh. Mozart on the side of a truck.

You can't beat that. You can't beat that.

With the ball just 24 hours away,

Paul's invited me back to check in on the final arrangements.

-Eugene! -Yes.

-You love classical music. -I do.

Tomorrow at the ball, we have two orchestras,

the Vienna Philharmonic and the Viennese Waltz Orchestra.

-Ah. -Yeah. And I want to show it to you.

Oh, my goodness. What a treat. I would love that.

The Viennese Waltz Orchestra has been rehearsing all week.

That sounds so good.

And with the clock ticking,

this is the last chance for their conductor Wolfgang

to get their performance just right.

You've got a great style of conducting.

I've heard you are a musician too.

Who'd you hear that from? Him?

I was in the high-school orchestra, but I played tenor saxophone.

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

-I see you don't have any saxophones. -No.

It's not suitable for this music.

Well, I don't know. I think that's discrimination.

I know when I've seen conductors conducting an orchestra,

they all seem to have a different style.

It's very important to have your own personality.

-Yeah? -Okay.

Louder. Act with the body.

-This is for the audience. -Right.

-You have to let the audience know. -Ja.

If you want volume, you do it with your hand?

Ja.

-Like this? -Yes.

-So up is loud. -Yes.

-And down is soft. -Yes.

Okay.

Believe me, this moment will change your life.

-It will change my life. -You will feel it.

It'll be, probably, the biggest embarrassment of, uh, my life so far.

I have everyone's attention?

And one, two, three. Two, two, three.

I think had a degree of style to my conducting.

Just coming that close to a great orchestra,

that kind of hits a sweet spot for me.

-Wow! That was good. -Great.

Incredible.

Thank you.

I like this.

Paul suggests that the best way to relax the night before the ball

is with a Viennese tradition, popular in the winter months.

-All right. -Hey!

-Hi, hi. -This is Maddalena, my wife,

-and her friends. -Hi. Nice to meet you.

-This is my friend, Julian, a violinist. -Nice to meet you.

-Julian? -Pleasure.

-Kalina. -Nice to meet you.

-Alex, and he's an opera singer. -Alex. Nice to meet you.

-An opera singer? -Nice to meet you. Yes.

Music is everywhere in Vienna.

-Closest one gets the point? -Yeah.

I see. All right.

Whoa!

-Too fast. -Ah.

-Oh, my God. -Much too fast.

-Wow, wow, wow. -Ooh!

Oh, my God.

Well, if my career goes up in flames on the ballroom dance floor...

Incredible.

...maybe there's a side hustle in Bavarian curling to be explored.

And we have any money on this game?

-No. -Huh?

This is good luck for the waltz tomorrow.

Can I bring a curling rock with me?

Knock out the competition.

That's right.

Compliments to the winners.

-To the ball. To Vienna. -To the ball.

Tomorrow night is the ball.

We'll be puttin' on the Ritz, as they say.

Why does it look so easy?

And even on the ice too.

On the ice.

I'll be all dolled up and ready to go.

And I think it's gonna be quite spectacular.

It feels like the city is buzzing on ball-day morning.

But as everyone gets ready,

I'm embracing the other part of Vienna I have a sweet spot for.

I had a great discovery yesterday.

Um, Kaiserschmarrn,

which is now my favorite breakfast.

So, I thought I'd start off the big day

looking for a café that makes Kaiserschmarrn.

Vienna's coffee houses really took off in the 17th century,

becoming the hang-out for artists and thinkers.

I have the Kaiserschmarrn.

Yes.

This is how you start a day.

I do have to button up into a Frack later on.

So I don't want the buttons popping. You know what I mean?

Watching the old waistline is not going to be easy.

The lure of pastries seems to be everywhere.

Master confectioner, Bernhard, is baking 7,000 cakes for tonight's event.

And I've been roped in.

Turns out there really is no such thing as a free lunch.

It's like I've died and gone to heaven.

How long does it take you to prepare for this?

The organization, it's more than one month,

but the producing, three days.

-That's not long, is it? -Yes.

So what? -what are you now preparing?

What is this pink stuff here?

We're preparing the Punschkrapferl.

-Punschkra... grapple. -"Krapferl".

-Krapferl. -Grapferl.

-Yeah, like this. -Punschkrapferl.

So this is why you are here, and you help me.

Right. Okay.

Yikes.

The Punschkrapferl was dreamed up in the mid-1800s

as a way to use up cake scraps.

And in true Viennese fashion, turned into a ball-night treat.

Okay, let's get to work.

One Punschkrapfen coming up.

I just hope I make them better than I pronounce them.

I show you what to do.

-You put the thin side in the sugar. -Thin side.

And you put it back on the plate.

-I see. Yeah. -That's it. Okay?

-There's space for you here. -Uh-huh.

We need 3,000 pieces for the ball.

Well, I've got a plane to catch next Tuesday, but...

-Then let's start. -All right.

Boy, you're tough to work for.

Is he tough to work for?

-Yeah, he is. -Yeah, he is murder.

All right. Thin side down.

Pressure is my middle name. Of course I work well under pressure.

-Uh-oh. -Uh-oh?

No, no. No, no. I didn't mean "uh-oh".

-I meant "oh, ooh". -Okay.

Oh, my God.

I'm gonna set this over here.

There's two good ones right here.

This one, I wouldn't give to my worst enemy, to be honest.

Dipping it in is one thing.

And then putting it down without your hands getting in the way

is the kinda tricky thing.

Oh! You son of a...

I really don't have the, uh, patience level for it.

Get up there, you little...

Oh, my God.

All right, this is going over here.

This is not working out.

Oh, my God.

"Oh, my God" is when you're bleeding.

-Everything... The other things is okay. -Okay, I'm gonna set this over here.

-That's... -This one needs a priest, I think.

-Wow. -You eat right now, one?

Now we have one more less. That's a problem.

You know what? I... I can solve that

because I'm gonna be at the ball,

and I will eat one less.

Maybe.

It actually is artistry.

They seem to just excel in the... in the finer things in life,

and this kitchen is a prime example.

With just hours left until the ball begins,

there are two small problems.

My left foot and my right foot.

It's time to find some expert advice, and fast.

-Welcome. -Lovely to be here.

Professor Elmayer runs a prestigious dance school

where debutantes learn the waltz

with the assistance of instructors such as Berget.

It's extremely popular.

We have about 200,000 people living in Vienna

who have passed through our school.

And we have only got two million inhabitants in Vienna,

so it's about ten percent of the population.

Well, you've got your hands full with me.

-So... -No, don't worry.

It's... It's really easy.

Yeah.

Well, I guess I'm gonna have to do as the Viennese do and give it a whirl.

So the right foot goes forward.

Right foot. The other right foot.

That one over there.

Forward, side, close.

The first time I did a ballroom dance

was my very first party when I was 13.

So my dad showed me the box step,

and, uh, I practiced with...

...my broom.

Forward, side.

The first girl that I asked to dance,

and it was like a disaster.

'Cause she didn't know what the hell I was doing.

Does that remind you of the box?

Oh, I'm getting flashbacks.

Forward and back.

Keep your weight on the foot side.

Right and back.

If I'm gonna get the hang of this, I'll need to step up.

Or is it to the side and back?

-Close and left foot back. -Oh.

-And I step between your feet. -Left foot back.

-Back. -One, two, three.

Four, five, six.

Okay, let's try to spin. Yes.

Keep turning. You're getting faster.

And faster and faster and faster.

The Viennese waltzing is very, very quick.

One, two, three, four, five.

And one.

And four. Very good.

-Whoo. -Whoo.

-Are you dizzy? -Yeah.

What I don't wanna do is collapse into my partner's arms an unconscious mess.

The ball starts in an hour.

And it's nice to know that, as I suit up, over 3,000 others are doing the same...

Uh, let me try this.

He went over.

Well, how did he go over?

...even if I am tying myself in knots.

This is not the part that goes over.

I'm gonna go under.

No. This... See. Why is this finger out here?

That's not the loop.

Come on.

All right, you know what? There's a fake tie here.

You feel like you're cheating?

I-I do feel like I'm cheating, and I gotta be honest,

couldn't care less at this point.

Jacket.

Eugene, you shall go to the ball.

Well, here we are.

One of the biggest nights in the Vienna social scene.

Thank you.

-Hello, Eugene. -Hey, Paul.

You look amazing!

Ah, well, you look pretty damn good yourself.

Wow. It is an honor for me to introduce you

-to your dancing partner. Yeah. -My dancing partner?

-All right. Yes, all right. -Will you follow me?

-Please, let's go. -Let's go meet her.

-This is Madeline. Yes. -Madeline.

-Well how lovely to meet you. -Very happy to meet you. Yes.

-Yes. -So we will dance together.

As music royalty, she's the perfect match.

We are going to dance together.

Um, I... I've... I-I'm sorry to say for you.

Ja, but you've never saw me dance, so you can be completely relaxed, so...

-You can be... -That's good.

-Very good. -Good, good.

I gotta say, it's my first ball.

And you will love it.

It's really...

-It's something very special. -It's... It gets emotional?

Yeah, and I get... irrsinnige. How you say goosebumps?

-Right. Every year this happens? -Every year. Every year.

Ah.

Paul failed to mention

that I'd be expected to join a procession of honored guests.

Luckily, walking is something I think I can master.

I'm getting a little nervous now.

The silver rose marks the start of the celebrations.

Whatever happens, just smile.

Then it's time for the honorary guests.

Here we go.

-Here we go. -Here we go.

I just hope they don't notice my clip-on tie.

As the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra plays not one, but two pieces,

the debutantes have to stand like perfect statues.

So sorry for them.

And sometimes, they also get...

-Light-headed? -Yes.

-Anybody ever fainted? -Yes.

-Eugene, now the debutantes... -Yes.

Oh, boy.

Yeah.

These young people bring an energy and enthusiasm that's infectious,

whatever age you are.

Beautiful.

And with that...

Alles, Walzer.

...it's time to waltz.

-We're hitting the dance floor. Look out. -Yes.

Just go in the middle and just...

It's not so difficult.

-I'm doing my best. -Yeah, good. Good!

We are a talented couple.

Oh, yeah.

Spectacular.

Thank you, Madeline.

I have a new-found love for Vienna,

and the ball is always gonna be part of it.

It's beautiful to look at. It's beautiful to listen to.

I think Vienna kind of exudes tradition and a respect for the arts

and, uh, pastries.

You may think that these balls that are put on in Vienna are over the top,

but they're actually a bridge to the past.

They keep history alive.

And it's nice to see.

I came here chasing a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

These young people have reminded me

that life isn't just about seeking out the big fanfares.

It's about connection and realizing that these moments

come from holding the past in one hand and the future in the other.

I knew I'd love the music and food,

but what I've found is that, even in this most magnificent of places,

it's the small details that are going to stay with me.

Hi.

So this is the thing to do. Sausage, uh, after the ball, right?

Here we go.

Whoa, is this good!

This is the best way to finish my time in Vienna, honestly.

I've been at the ball. Tick that off the bucket list.

Next on my bucket list...

Whoa!

A road trip with a complete stranger

is one of those things I am not closing the door on.

Looks a little tight right here.

-Won't we go to the RV? -A little tight?

Whoo!

So in over my head here.

Don't hit the grass.

Whoa.

I got my booty clenched.