Mark Fyodorovich Poltoratsky (Russian: Марк Фёдорович Полтора́цкий, Ukrainian: Марко Федорович Полторацький, Marko Fedorovych Poltoratskyi; 28 April 1729, Sosnitsa, Kiev Governorate – 24 April 1795, Saint Petersburg) was a Russian Imperial singer (baritone). He was of Ukrainian Cossack descent and an Active State Councillor of Russia. He is the founder of the Russian noble Poltoratsky family.
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Early life
His father was Fyodor Poltoratsky, who settled in the sotnia town of Sosnitsa of the Chernigov Regiment of the Hetman's Ukraine and accepted the priesthood. During the period of the hetmanship of Daniel Apostle, on 28 April 1729, Mark was born. The boy was clever, inquisitive, and his father sent him to the "Latin schools" of Chernigov, where he studied for four years.
His studies continued at Kiev-Mogila Academy. In childhood, Mark had a beautiful voice and, as a student, he sang in an academic choir.
In 1744 Mark's voice was heard by Count Alexei Razumovsky (a former chorister), who accompanied Empress Elizabeth Petrovna on her trip to Ukraine. A year later, the young man left his Kiev classmates and traveled to St. Petersburg to sing in the choir at the imperial court. Mark's career was soon appointed "installer" of the court choir.
In 1750 he was the first Slav to be enlisted in the Italian opera troupe, acting under the name "Marko Porturatsky". Three years later he was appointed regent of the Court Singing Chapel. With nominal decrees of the Empress, he repeatedly traveled to select the best voices in Ukraine. In 1754 he was promoted to colonel.