100 years - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 1969 - 2 Shilling

The opera, with its fusion of the essential elements of music, of drama, of visual and performing arts, and of its concentrated expressiveness, is a true child of the Baroque. And especially in Austria, where the baroque unfolded in full force, the opera found a receptive art base. However, it took more than two centuries from the birth of the Vienna Opera House in 1650 until it was given its own house. Emperor Franz Joseph donated the opera house on the ring, which was magnificently inaugurated on May 25, 1869. But for almost half a century the Viennese criticized the big house with their typical smirk until they realized that it was the "most ideal opera house in the world". The Austrians did not abandon their court opera after the end of the monarchy. With great financial sacrifices, it was transformed into the Vienna State Opera, in which the most important artists at home and abroad worked and work. Nothing can better prove the love of the Austrians for their opera, than the fact that already on 1 May 1945, three days after the establishment of the Republic, in an Austria destroyed by the war was already played again. The brand image shows the tenth and at the same time last Scene from "Don Giovanni" playing in the banqueting hall of Don Giovanni's castle. With this popular opera the new opera house at the ring on 25 May 1869 was opened