Vienna Opera Ball stalwart Lugner dies aged 91 [Video]

Austrian construction tycoon and socialite Richard Lugner, who made headlines for bringing the world’s VIPs to Vienna’s famous Opera Ball, has died aged 91, according to local media citing family sources.

Lugner died in his Viennese villa on Monday, Austrian media reported, with conservative Chancellor Karl Nehammer on X hailing the “successful” construction magnate as a “vibrant… Austrian original” who stayed “true to himself”.

Born in Vienna on October 11, 1932, Lugner quickly made a name for himself in the construction business by focusing on small-scale projects amid the 1960s building boom, according to APA news agency.

In 1975, Lugner landed his first major coup, when he was commissioned to build the Vienna Islamic Centre, Austria’s first and biggest mosque.

More than a decade later, he built his eponymous “Lugner City” shopping centre.

The eccentric 91-year-old was an integral part of Vienna’s high society, with Lugner frequently dominating the headlines, …