Max Bloch (Mario Brefelli) (Tenor) (Germany 1882 - New York 1943)

He studied under Frau Pockal in Berlin and made his debut in 1910 at Komischen Oper of Berlin, in the 1911-12 season he appeared at Kurfürstenoper of  Berlin and then was engaged in the 1912-14 seasons by the Deutschen Opernhaus in Berlin. Since 1914 he was a member of the  Metropolitan Opera in New York (beginning role: Majordomo in ‘’Rosenkavalier’’), to which he belonged till 1918 and then again from 1922 to 1930. He sang at the Metropolitan Opera not only Tenor-Buffo and Comprimario roles; but also David in ‘’Meistersingers’’ and the Mime in ‘’Siegfried’’ (his star roles). He appeared at the Metropolitan Opera also in the premieres of the operas ‘’Madame Sans-Gêne’’ of Giordano (25. 1. 1915), ‘’Goyescas’’ of Granados (28. 1. 1916) and  ‘’The Canterbury Pilgrims’’ of de Koven (1917). He retired from the stage in 1930. He was also a respectable concert singer.

Chronology of some appearances

1910 Berlin Komischen Oper

1911-1912 Berlin Kurfürstenoper 

1912-1914 Berlin Deutschen Opernhaus

1914-1918 New York Metropolitan Opera

1922-1930 New York Metropolitan Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Columbia, New York 1917?

O' Tannenbaum, o' Tannenbaum (trad) with Elena Gerhardt 58256

Ständchen (Schubert) E5224 59634

Rienzi (Wagner): Allmacht'ger Vater E5221 59678

Columbia

Roslein, Roslein Rot (Folk song) with Sembach, Goritz and Braun E3515 43950

Banner 1921

Pagliacci (Leoncavallo): Vesti la giubba 2055-B

Emerson 1921

L’Ebrea (Halevy): Rachele, allor che Iddio 13191

National Music Lovers 1923

Aida (Verdi): Celeste Aida (as Brefelli) 1025

Victor, Camden NJ 1922-03-14

Undine (Lortzing): Vater, Mutter, Schwestern, Brüder 73276 B26157-3

Victor, Camden NJ 1924-07-03

Freischütz (Weber): Durch die Wälder, durch die Auen 68667
Lohengrin (Wagner): In fernem Land 68667 C30212 C30211