Moses (Max) Battoroi (Bratt) was born in Lemberg, Poland, in 1876. He studied painting in Vienna and while restoring ancient frescoes in the Schloss Portia (Porcia Castle in Spittal an der Drau, Austria), the countess heard him singing and was so impressed with his voice that she facilitated a meeting with the director of the Vienna State Opera.
The successful encounter took him to many cities and numerous theatric productions: Thousand and One Nights, The Merry Widow (in German), The Gypsy Baron, Gypsy Love (Zigeunerliebe), Polenblut, Blossom Time, The Student Prince, Tausend und eine Nacht, Der Rastelbinder, Wo Die Lerche Singt (Musical Foreign Operetta on Broadway), Die Fledermaus, Countess Mariza and Madam Butterfly. He also performed on the Germanic Broadcast (William Klein, Director), in person at galas and recorded several folk songs (Columbia and Emerson labels). He was brought to America to play one of the navel officers In Madame Butterfly for the Manhattan Opera Company.
Myra Finn, Oscar Hammerstein's first wife, sponsored his immigration to the United States.
Max Bratt passed away in 1958, at the age of 82, in Chicago.
The theaters in which he performed:
- Apollo Theater
- Chicago Civic Opera House
- Majestic Theater
- Auditorium Theater
- Eighth Street Theater
- Broadway
[Bio and photo provided by Bratt's daughter Elizabeth Bratt-Humphrey and his grandaughter, Patricia Rushing.]