100th birthday - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1973 - 4 Shilling

One hundred years ago, on 18 August 1873, Leo Slezak was born in Mährisch-Schönberg, the son of a miller. At Slezak, the "Theaterteufel" came early, and the extra at the Brno City Theater was discovered as a choral singer. Two years of vocal training were enough, and he started with Lohengrin's entrance role, which was to remain his brilliant role alongside Othello, for example. From Brno he started his world career. Even before his debut at the Hofoper in Vienna in 1901, he was on the stage of Covent Garden in London. The Milan Scala and the Metropolitan in New York followed. The new Heldentenor was soon as well known in Berlin, Paris and London as in Prague, St. Petersburg or Bucharest. From 1912 to 1917 he sang almost all over the world. But he remained loyal to his parent company, the Court Opera, for 33 years. The register of Slezak roles is very extensive, but also his songwriting leaves nothing to be desired. At the age of sixty, he once again sang the "Bajazzo" in Vienna - a brilliant evening in which the spark of enthusiasm for the audience jumped over. At this peak, Slezak decided to relinquish and from then on devoted himself to the film. Until 1944 he made a success story after another with the darlings of yesteryear and today he is remembered above all as a comedian. He died on June 1, 1946, two years after his beloved wife Lieserl. The brand image shows a portrait of the artist.