Franz Borsos Plaque

A plaque, almost camouflaged against the weathered stone of Zimmermanngasse 18, whispers a forgotten melody. This, my friends, is the Franz Borsos Plaque, a silent testament to a man whose voice once filled the grand theaters of Vienna. Franz Borsos, born in the heart of Vienna in 1907, was a man of music. An operetta tenor, his voice was his instrument, ringing out with the joy and drama of this uniquely Viennese art form. He graced the stages of Wiener Neustadt, Klagenfurt, even Reichenberg, before returning to captivate audiences in his beloved Vienna. Imagine the elegant halls of the Volksoper, the grandeur of the Stadttheater, echoing with his powerful voice. But Borsos’s talent wasn’t confined to the grand stage. During World War II, he brought solace and entertainment to soldiers with his performances on Wehrmacht tours. Later, as the popularity of operetta waned, he adapted, creating his own unique programs – “Kuroperetten” – bringing laughter and music to elderly audiences. The Franz Borsos Plaque stands as a tribute to the power of his voice, a voice that carried joy through times of both peace and hardship. It reminds us that even in the quietest corners of this grand city, echoes of Vienna’s rich musical heritage still resonate.