George Meader (Tenor) (Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA 1888 - Woodland Hills, Los Angeles, California, USA 1963)

He sang as a child in a boy's choir at Pittsburgh, then studied law at the University of Minnesota. He distinguished himself there also as a sportsman and sang at the University Glee Club. During the holidays at Germany his voice was discovered and he studied singing under Anna Schoen-Rene. In the 1907-08 season he made his debut at the Opera House of Leipzig as Steuermann in "Fliegenden Holländer". His concert debut was happened in 1908 at London. In 1910 he was engaged by the Court Theatre in Stuttgart; here he sang on 25. 10. 1912 in the premiere of Richard-Strauss’s opera ‘’Ariadne auf Naxos’’ in  the part of Scaramuccio. Also as a concert singer he was very successful. In 1913 he sang at Amsterdam in ‘’Lied von der Erde’’ of Gustav Mahler under Willem Mengelberg, the same year he appeared in the tenor part in Haydn’s ‘’Schöpfung’’ in Berlin in presence of the deutsch emperor Wilhelm II. in 1913 he took over in Berlin in  ‘’der Matthäuspassion’’ of J. S. Bach. Although he was an American, he could continue after the entry of the USA into the First World War in 1916 his career in Stuttgart. Thus he sang there in 1917 in the premiere of S. Wagner’s "An allem ist Hütchen schuld". Till 1919 he remained at Stuttgart and then returned to the USA. In 1919 he gave there the first concert at the Aeolian Hall  in New York. In 1920 he sang at New York in concert dedicated to the 150-th birthday of Beethoven. In 1921 he was engaged by the Metropolitan Opera at New York, where he sang till 1932. His beginning role at the Metropolitan Opera was the Victorin in the première of Korngold’s "Toter Stadt" (1921). He estimated himself especially as Tenor Buffo (David in "Meistersingern"). In 1922 he performed in the late première there of the Mozart's opera ‘’Così fan tutte’’ in the role of Ferrando. In 1922 he sang in the première of Rimsky-Korsakov’s ‘’Snow Maiden’’. In 1924 he sang at the guest performance of the Metropolitan Opera at Baden-Baden again the role of Ferrando in ‘’Così fan tutte’’. He appeared as a guest at Paris and Hamburg and gave 1926 song recitals at Berlin. After he had achieved a great success in 1931 in the operetta ‘’Boccaccio’’ of Suppé as a partner of Maria Jeritza, he completely turned to the operetta and became known at the New York Broadway. He appeared also in some Hollywood movies, among other things in ‘’The Great Caruso’’ and sang as a soloist at the Saint Thomas Church in New York. Later he lived at Hollywood.

Chronology of some appearances

1907-1908 Leipzig Opera House

1910-1919 Stuttgart Court Theatre

1921 New York Metropolitan Opera

RECORDINGS FOR SALE

Gramophone, Berlin 1913-08-22

Faust (Gounod): Es ist schon spät with Runge 2-944176 12834r
Faust (Gounod): O Mondenschein with Runge  2-944177 12835r
Trovatore (Verdi): In uns're Heimat with Herrmann 2-944085 12841r