George Maran

George Alfred Maran (July 25, 1926 – Nov 26, 2011[1]) was an American opera, oratorio, and concert tenor. Born near Boston, Massachusetts. Maran attended Harvard University where he and his voice came to the attention of people such as Leonard Bernstein and Paul Hindemith. He first drew international attention when he won the “Mozart-Medaille”(Mozart Medal) from the Mozarteum International Foundation in Salzburg in 1956 on Mozart’s 200th birthday. The same year, and the next forty years thereafter, he was a soloist at the Opera in Darmstadt, Germany. Even so, he continued singing all over Europe and the United States, the world premiere of A Midsummer Night's Dream (opera) with Benjamin Britten conducting as a prime example. He has sung many wide-ranging and varied genres as soloist in opera, operetta, oratorio, and on the concert stage.

George Maran - Harvard University Yearbook 1948

Early life

Maran was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts, the younger of 2 children. His father: Jacob C. Maran[2] (1899) born Agop Marangossian (clerk/jeweler) (naturalized 1923) was an Armenian from Smyrna (now Turkey) who spoke 7 languages fluently, “I don’t know much about him, said Maran, he left when I was 7”. His mother: born Persis M. Weeman (c. 1903),[3] gave piano and voice lessons. His great-grandfather, Orin Weeman (c. 1844),[4] and grandfather: Walter O. Weeman (c. 1863) were well-known violin makers from ”America’s oldest violin making family” at the time. It was the musical influence of his grandfather Weeman and his Mother that started him on his path.

Harvard days 1944–1948

At age 20 Maran joined the Harvard Glee Club. He met Leonard Bernstein sometime between then and his graduation. “He heard me at one or more of my concerts and liked my voice" Maran said. In the same way Maran met Paul Hindemith, also through attending his lectures. Maran graduated from Harvard University in 1948(47).[5]

Personal life

On September 15, 1950, Maran married Edit Engel, a Jewish refugee who studying medicine at Tufts College. They had two children: Elizabeth Ann (Elisha) and Joseph. Maran died, aged 85 in Darmstadt, on November 26, 2011, from heart and cardiovascular disease. His grave is planned to be located at the Waldfriedhof in Darmstadt.[6]

Professional life

Salzburg

In late 1950 the Marans' moved (in large part through arrangements made by Edit Maran) to Salzburg,[7] they lived in the family house of Herbert Feuerstein[8] (then age 13). Maran Studied church music under Domkapellmeister Joseph Messner; Mozart operas under Professor Dr. B. Paumgartner, and sang in the Salzburg Cathedral as solo Tenor for 5 years.[5] In 1954 Feuerstein wrote 3 "Dehmel-Gedichte" (text from Richard Dehmel) songs for him. The songs themselves were first publicly performed at Marans’ 80th birthday celebration at Staatstheater Darmstadt with Feuerstein himself playing the piano.[8]

Salzburger Festspiele 1952–1971

Salzburger Festspiele Archiv[9]

Staatstheater Darmstadt 1956–1996

In the 40 years that Mr. Maran was at Staatstheater Darmstadt, he sang so much, and in so many genres, ... Maran started in Darmstadt with the premiere of Mozart’s “Titus” in the title part.[8] Marans artistic collaboration with Harro Dicks was the driving force for the Monteverdi revival which had its beginning in Darmstadt. He starred Il Ritorno d Ulysse and the Coronation of Poppea. His creative work with Hans Drewanz was fruitful and rich, culminating in Britten's Death in Venice, produced in 1980 by Kurt Horres. His characterization of Aschenbach was celebrated as one of intense and unusual expressiveness.

Aldeburgh Festival
Benjamin Britten & George Maran 1960

A Midsummer Night's Dream was first performed on 11 June 1960 at the Jubilee Hall, Aldeburgh, UK as part of the Aldeburgh Festival. Conducted by the composer, it was directed by the choreographer John Cranko.[10] Maran played the part of Lysander. Maran is fond of saying that Britten wrote the part for him, which to a certain degree is true, since Britten asked Maran to sing the part after hearing his voice and Maran was in on the final production preparations. He has many memories of his times at the "Red House". In subsequent performances the role was sung by Peter Pears who played the part of Flute, a bellows-mender in this production.

Other Engagements

Guest appearances in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Zurich, Amsterdam, at New York City Opera (Belmonte opposite Phyllis Curtin, 1958) and Fests, such as the Netherlands, Strasbourg, Schwetzingen, Kranichstein, etc.[5]

Awards
  • 1956 – Mozart-Medal in Salzburg[7]
  • 1996 – "Ehrenmitglied"(Honored Member) from Staatstheater Darmstadt. This award has been given to only 4 others to date.[8]

Recordings

References
  1. From: Darmstädter Charakter-Tenor George Maran ist tot, Der sympathische Botschafter der Kunst war fast 40 Jahre im Darmstädter Ensemble, echo-online.de
  2. "From: Armenian Ancestry.com". Archived from the original on March 31, 2012. Retrieved 2011-07-24.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
  3. From: Ancestry.com
  4. Orin Weeman was born in Maine and established his violin making business in 1872 in Boston (Washington Street). For a short description of his business see Boston: its commerce, finance and literature, New York 1892, p. 245 and C. M. Ayars, Contributions to the art of music in America by the music industries of Boston, 1640 to 1936, New York 1937, p. 202-03.
  5. From: Harvard College Class of 1948 - 25th Anniversary Report, printed by the Harvard University office, Copyright, 1973
  6. From: Waldfriedhof-Darmstadt.de
  7. From: "Der Tenor in der ersten Reihe", Frankfurter Rundschau, Germany Sept. 2006
  8. From: "Glückwünsche in Wort und Ton", DA Echo, Germany Aug. 2006. See also H. Feuerstein, Die neun Leben des Herrn F., Berlin 2014
  9. Salzburger Festspiele Archiv. See also J. Kaut, Festspiele in Salzburg. Eine Dokumentation, München 1970.
  10. "Britten, Benjamin A Midsummer Night's Dream (1960)". Boosey & Hawkes. Retrieved 22 May 2011.
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