In 1999 the Musical Olympus foundation initiated in St.-Petersburg the joint Russian-Austrian project devoted to Johann Strauss II. The "Viennese Ball" and other events held within the framework of this project were organized in cooperation with the City of Vienna and under the auspices of the City Governors of Vienna and St.-Petersburg and the Ministries of Culture of Austria and Russia. The international success of the first ball, which was named the Remembering Strauss Ball, in 1999, confirmed the intention of Musical Olympus Foundation to establish this event on an annual basis.

The idea of the project is to revive in the new Russia the age-old traditions of charity as well as due attention and respect to the world culture and to rehabilitate the mutually enriching international cultural links of Russia.

Musical Olympus Charity Balls are organized in the frames of the annual International Musical Olympus Festival in the luxurious halls and palaces of Saint Petersburg and its surroundings. In 1999, for the first time, it took place in the Marble Hall of the Ethnography Museum of Russia. Since then these unique festive events were held in the Grand Palace in Peterhof, in Konstantin’s Palace in Strelna (the Palace of Congresses), in the marvellous Yusupov’s Palace at the Moika River and in the magnificent Catherine’s Palace in Tsarskoye Selo (former town of Pushkin).

The balls gather in St. Petersburg the elite of Russian art, business and politics as well as prominent guests from Austria, Switzerland, Germany, USA, and other countries. Each event is distinguished by its original concept and relevant stylistics that reflect the name of event.

The funds raised at the Musical Olympus Charitable Ball are spent to support young international prize-winning musicians and their performances at the International Musical Olympus Festival in St. Petersburg and Musical Olympus Concert Programs outside Russia (such as New York, Zurich, Berlin and Singapore).