Jules Bastin

Jules Bastin (18 August 1933, Brussels – 2 December 1996, Waterloo) was a Belgian operatic bass who excelled in both serious and comic roles, and left several recordings. Born in Pont-Bellevaux-Ligneuville, he was briefly a teacher of German, French and history before vocal studies in Brussels led to a professional singing career. He won prizes at singing competitions in Verviers, Toulouse, 's-Hertogenbosch and Munich. Bastin made his debut in 1960 at La Monnaie, singing Caronte in L'Orfeo. He appeared at major opera houses throughout Europe, including the Royal Opera House, La Scala, and the Palais Garnier; he also sang at festivals in Salzburg, Edinburgh, Aix-en-Provence and Florence, and in America at Buenos Aires, Philadelphia and Toronto. He was known for playing roles from a variety of operatic traditions, from Monteverdi to Berg, but he was perhaps most famous for singing the Baron Ochs in Richard Strauss's Der Rosenkavalier; his "fine, full-toned voice, presence and gift for...