Jules Bastin

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 comedy make him a superb Ochs”. In buffo style roles he sang Mozart's Osmin and Don Alfonso, Rossini's Dr Bartolo and Donizetti's as Sulpice, which “exploited his gifts as a buffo bass”, as well as recording several Offenbach operettas. In 1979 he took place in the premiere of the three-act version of Lulu in Paris as the Theatre Director. In Verdi opera he portrayed Ramfis and the Grand Inquisitor, both “exploiting his resonant delivery and exemplary diction”.