Braco and Egisto: On two charlatans and their greatest achievement

The recent opening of the Vienna Festival Weeks featured a controversial performance by Croatian esoteric figure Braco, who presented his "giving gaze" to an audience at Heldenplatz. The event, accompanied by New Age music described as reminiscent of spa music from the 1990s, has sparked discussion about the nature of such spiritual or pseudo-spiritual presentations.

Florian Scheuba, writing for Der Standard, refers to Braco and another figure, Egisto, as "charlatans" and highlights their "greatest achievement" ironically. The article questions the decision to provide Braco with a platform at a prominent cultural event, suggesting that his performances are typically ticketed affairs, implying a commercial aspect to his spiritual offerings.

The piece contrasts the Heldenplatz event, which included an ORF broadcast, with the usual paid entry for Braco's appearances. It frames the situation with a degree of skepticism, using descriptive language that subtly critiques the event and its participants. The author implies that the spectacle offered at Heldenplatz is something people would normally pay to experience, thus questioning the legitimacy and purpose of its inclusion in a cultural festival.