George Maran


George Alfred Maran 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” 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 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.

Early life

Maran was born in Attleboro, Massachusetts, the younger of 2 children. His father: Jacob C. Maran
born Agop Marangossian was an Armenian from Smyrna 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, gave piano and voice lessons. His great-grandfather, Orin Weeman, and grandfather: Walter O. Weeman 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.

Personal life

On September 15, 1950 Maran married Edit Engel she was studying medicine at Tufts College. She was a Jewish refugee who fled with her family in 1939 at the age of 15 to England and later to the US. They had two children: Elizabeth Ann born June 1, 1952 in Salzburg, and Joseph born in Frankfurt am Main on September 6, 1957. Maran died, aged 85 in Darmstadt, on Nov 26 2011, from heart and cardiovascular disease. His grave is planned to be located at the Waldfriedhof in Darmstadt.

Professional life

Salzburg

In late 1950 the Marans' moved to Salzburg, they lived in the family house of Herbert Feuerstein. 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. In 1954 Feuerstein wrote 3 "Dehmel-Gedichte" songs for him. The songs themselves were first publicly performed at Marans’ 80th birthday celebration at Staatstheater Darmstadt with Feuerstein himself playing the piano.

Salzburger Festspiele 1952–1971

Salzburger Festspiele Archiv
DateWork1Work2Conductor
17. August 1952Anton Bruckner "Tota pulchra Motette"Joseph Messner
02. August 1953Franz Schubert "Große Messe in E flat Major"Joseph Messner
09. August 1953W. A. Mozart "Krönungsmesse" KV 317Joseph Messner
20. August 1954Giovanni Battista Pergolesi "Stabat mater"W. A. Mozart "Spatzenmesse" KV 220Joseph Messner
27. August 1954W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626Joseph Messner
03. August 1955Joseph Haydn "Missa in tempore belli" Hob. XXII Nr. 9Joseph Messner
13. August 1955W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
27. August 1955W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626Joseph Messner
03. August 1956"CAMERATA ACADEMICA DES MOZARTEUMS"Bernhard Paumgartner
11. August 1956W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
24. August 1956W. A. Mozart "Vesperae solennes de confessore" KV 339W. A. Mozart "Spatzenmesse" KV 220Joseph Messner
17. August 1957W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
29. August 1957W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626Joseph Messner
16. August 1958W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
31. August 1958W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626Joseph Messner
08. August 1959W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Ernst Hinreiner
23. August 1959W. A. Mozart "Requiem in D-Minor" KV 626Joseph Messner
31. Juli 1960Joseph Haydn "Messe in D-Minor" Hob. XXII Nr. 11Joseph Haydn "Missa in angutiis"; Joseph Haydn" Nelsonmesse"Joseph Messner
13. August 1960W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
12. August 1961W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
06. August 1962SALZBURGER RUNDFUNK- UND MOZARTEUMCHORErnst Hinreiner
11. August 1962W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
12. August 1962W. A. Mozart "Vesperae solennes de confessore" KV 339W. A. Mozart "Krönungsmesse" KV 317Joseph Messner
10. August 1963W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
08. August 1964W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
14. August 1965W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
13. August 1966W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
12. August 1967W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
10. August 1968W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
09. August 1969W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
08. August 1970W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Bernhard Paumgartner
14. August 1971W. A. Mozart "Messe in C-Minor" KV 427Ernst Hinreiner

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. 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 Brittens Death in Venice, produced in 1980 by Kurt Horres. His characterization of Aschenbach was celebrated as one of intense and unusual expressiveness.

Aldeburgh Festival

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. 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 memorys 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, and Fests, such as the Netherlands, Strasbourg, Schwetzingen, Kranichstein, etc.

Awards