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.

Life and career Born in , he was briefly a teacher of German, French and history before vocal studies in Brussels led to a professional singing career.

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. 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",

Selected discography Berlioz: Benvenuto Cellini (Balducci) conducted by Colin Davis, Philips 1972 Berlioz: La Damnation de Faust (Méphistophélès) conducted by Colin Davis, Philips, 1973, and by Daniel Barenboim, DG, 1979 Massenet Cendrillon (Pandolphe) conducted by Julius Rudel, CBS, 1978 Strauss Der Rosenkavalier (Baron Ochs) conducted by Edo de Waart, recorded by Philips in 1976 Mozart Così fan tutte (Alfonso) conducted by Alain Lombard, Erato 1977 Mozart Le nozze di Figaro (Bartolo) conducted by Herbert von Karajan, Decca, recorded 1978 Berlioz: Romeo et Juliette (Père Laurence) conducted by Daniel Barenboim, DG, 1980 Mélodies Françaises (with Paule Van den Driessche, piano) - L'horizon chimérique by Fauré, Quatre Poèmes d’après l’« Intermezzo » de Henri Heine by Ropartz, Chansons de Don Quichotte by Ibert, Huit Anecdotes de Chamfort by Françaix, Chansons gaillardes by Poulenc and Don Quichotte à Dulcinée by Ravel - Pavane Records 1980 Charpentier: Mors Saülis et Jonathae H.403, conducted by Louis Devos, Erato, 1981 He took part in several Grétry opera recordings: La Caravane du Caire (1991), Le Judgement de Midas (1989), L'amant jaloux (1977) and Richard Coeur-de-Lion (1977)