Maas, Joseph

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Maas, Joseph

Maas, Joseph, English tenor; b. Dartford, Kent, Jan. 30, 1847; d. London, Jan. 15, 1886. He was a chorister at Rochester Cathedral, where he studied with the organist J.L. Hopkin, and then completed his training with Bodda-Pyne in London and San Giovanni in Milan. In 1871 he made his debut in a concert with Henry Leslie’s Choir in London. His operatic debut followed in 1872 as Babil in Dion Boucicault’s Babil and Bijou at London’s Covent Garden. After touring the U.S. with Clara Kellogg’s English Opera Co., he returned to England in 1878 and became principal tenor of the Carl Rosa Opera Co. He was the first to sing the role of Rienzi in England in 1879, and in 1883 he appeared as Lohengrin at Covent Garden. Maas was also active as a concert and oratorio singer. Among his other operatic roles were Des Grieux and Radames.

—Nicolas Slonimsky/Laura Kuhn/Dennis McIntire