Brilliant Amfar gala in Salzburg: Bob Geldof excellent!

Brilliant Amfar gala in Salzburg: Bob Geldof excellent!

The first Amfar gala in Austria took place in the Baroque Residence in Salzburg on Sunday, August 25, 2025. The prominent guests of the event included Bob Geldof, Karl Markovics, Sunnyi Melles and Jeremy Irons. The gala was ceremoniously opened by Jeremy Irons, while Rufus Wainwright played on the original Clavichord of Mozart and thus provided musical accents. This premiere was the result of an idea that was born in the summer of 2024 at a meeting of Gery Keszler and Amfar-CEO Kevin Robert Frost.

The gala, which attracted around 400 guests from art, culture, politics and business, was not only a social event, but also an important platform in the fight against HIV and AIDS. Gery Keszler, the organizer of the event, recalled the first life ball in 1993 and emphasized the essential role of events such as this in the light of the humanitarian challenges. Amfar, the Foundation for AIDS Research, celebrates its 40th anniversary this year and has been active in HIV/AIDS research for decades. The gala was also of particular cultural importance because it fit in the scope of the Salzburg Festival.

Honors and support campaigns

A highlight of the evening was the awarding of the great honor for services to the Republic of Austria to Bob Geldof. In his acceptance speech, he underlined the importance of supporting organizations that fight poverty, hunger and illnesses. The event also offered a live auction under the direction of the star auctionator Simon de Pury, in which, among other things, works of art by Andy Warhol and Erwin Wurm as well as a tailor-made Mini Cooper by Elie Saab. The latter achieved an impressive price of around 75,000 euros.

The culinary experience of the evening came from Dahlmann from Munich, who served an exclusive menu. The costumes for the gala, including those from the Salzburg Festival costumes by Andreas Kronthaler, also set new standards at the event. The after-show party took place in Leopoldskron Castle and offered international DJs, noble bars and an excellent atmosphere for the guests.

An unmistakable event

The admission prices for the gala were between 2000 and 5000 euros, and the event was almost sold out, which illustrates the great interest and support for the matter. Keszler left open whether there will be an Amfar gala in Salzburg again next year, but the positive response gives hope for a repetition. In view of the high expectations and prominent support, such as BMW Austria and Mac, the Amfar gala could become an integral part of Salzburg's social and cultural life.

Overall, the Amfar gala in Salzburg shows that social responsibility and cultural engagement can go hand in hand to raise awareness of one of the most important health challenges of our time. The event became a symbol of solidarity, but also to an important cultural event that honors and continues the rich tradition of the Salzburg Festival.

For further details about the event and their special moments, interested parties can be reported on the reports of crown,, ORF Salzburg and Small newspaper access.