- Discours d'adieu de Lugner: "Adieu, Richard, votre surnom affectueusement choisi"
Richard Lugner, entrepreneur autrichien connu pour ses événements somptueux et sa vie personnelle scandaleuse, a continué à fasciner les foules même après sa mort, attirant une nuée de caméras lors de son service commémoratif à la cathédrale Saint-Étienne de Vienne. Conformément à ses souhaits, la cérémonie a reflété l'une de ses réunions de la haute société, remplie de beauté, de célébrité et d'émotion.
Lugner, invité régulier du Bal de l'Opéra de Vienne, est décédé le 12 août à l'âge de 91 ans. Connu pour promouvoir ses somptueuses soirées, il annonçait souvent les invités distingués, ce qui lui valait une coquette rémunération. Cette fois, la veuve d'Elvis, Priscilla Presley, a honoré sa présence.
Lugner se délectait du titre de "lion de la société" et savourait ses six mariages sous les projecteurs, ce qui l'a établi comme une figure marquante de la culture célébrity autrichienne et une constante dans les colonnes people et les émissions de télévision.
During the public memorial service, the nave was filled with notable figures and politicians, while hundreds of onlookers recorded the event on their phones.
"His spirit will feel this," stated Dean Toni Faber moments before the memorial service began, addressing camera crews in the nave. "His spirit will feel this, and he will smile down upon us, gratefully accepting our tribute."
Lugner's latest wife and widow, 42-year-old Simone, entered in a floor-length black gown accessorized with a golden belt. She took a seat apart from Lugner's daughter Jacqueline, who sat in the front row on the right beside Lugner's fourth wife, Christina Lugner.
Lugner had made his fourth wife, Christina, his lifelong partner, having spent 17 years together. Obeying his requests, they were buried at exactly 13:13, a number considered lucky in their shared past.
Former wives and lovers attended the memorial service, with the exception of Kathy, the German former Playboy model who had publicly voiced her dismay at not being invited, as their marriage had lasted for only two years.
The musical presentation included Mozart and Austrian rock singer Dennis Jale, who sang an emotional rendition of Elton John's "Candle in the Wind", turning the lyrics into a heartfelt tribute to Lugner, "Goodbye, Dear Richard". As they departed the church, the traditional fanfare polonaise that opens the Opera Ball each year played, sending them off with a final farewell.
Lugner had requested a red casket, mirroring the hue of his Lugner City shopping center. His top hat rested atop the casket, a poignant final touch to the public memorial service. The procession then moved to a more private funeral following the service.
The Community gathered at St. Stephen's Cathedral to pay their respects at Richard Lugner's memorial service, demonstrating the significance of his impact within Viennese society.
Following Lugner's death, The Community continued to engage in discussions about his life and legacy, keeping his name alive in community gatherings and events.
