ROTT (ROSENBERG), MORITZ:

Austrian actor, nephew of the composer Ignaz Moseheles; born at Prague Sept. 17, 1797; died in Berlin 1860. He was the leading actor of his time, and was the favorite of the Prussian public and the king. He was destined by his parents for a commercial life, but forsook it for the stage, making his début in Vienna in 1817 as Karl Moor in Schiller's "Die Räuber His success was instantaneous and was repeated in Kaschau, Eperies, Batfeld, Lemberg, Olmütz, and Linz. In 1821 he became the leading actor at the Theater-an-der-Wien, Vienna, remaining there until 1829, when he went to the Hofheater, Leipsic, as stage-manager. While connected with the latter theater he starred at Budapest, Brünn, Gratz, Prague, Breslau, Presburg, Lemberg, Vienna (Hoftheater), and Hanover. In 1832 he began a life engagement at the Hoftheater, Berlin. In 1840 held a special engagement at the Hofburg-theater, Vienna, and, seven years later, in Prague.

Rott's best rôles were: Faust, Brutus, Kreon, Jason, Hamlet, Vasa, Wallenstein, Gätz von Berlichingen, Franz and Karl Moor, Shylock, Hugo (in "Schuld"), Roderich (Calderon's "Leben ein Traum"), Jaromir (Grillparzer's "Ahnfrau"), and Meinau ("Menschenhass und Reue").

Bibliography:
  • Jüdischer Plutarch, 1848, pp.226-228.
S. E. Ms.
Images of pages