Vienna, 13 February 2026 (dpa/MIA) — Hollywood actor Sharon Stone was moved to tears at the Vienna Opera Ball on Thursday.

"I'm a bit overcome," the "Basic Instinct" star told Austrian broadcaster ORF on the red carpet, adding that the evening "really took my breath away in the most extraordinarily beautiful way."

She briefly returned to her hotel before taking her seat in a box at the ball, a spokesman for her host, confectionery entrepreneur Karl Guschlbauer, said.

Stone, 67, praised what she described as a sense of unity and cultural pride at Austria's most prominent society event, calling it a "sea of grace and elegance and dignity." She wore a gown inspired by the style of Viennese Art Nouveau painter Gustav Klimt, designed for her by the late Italian fashion designer Valentino.

This year's opening ceremony featured Broadway elements, including the "Maria" aria and the balcony scene from "West Side Story" by Leonard Bernstein.

The ball is considered Austria's premier social event. Tickets cost €410 ($486), while premium boxes were priced at €26,000. Around 400 police officers were deployed to secure the event, attended also by Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen.