José van Dam – an appreciation

For my generation of opera-lovers, bass-baritone José van Dam (25 August 1940 – 17 February 2026, born van Damme, later created Baron by King Albert II) was a fixed star in the operatic firmament, the greatest Belgian singer and a regular contributor to some of the finest performances and recordings of his era. I first heard him live many years ago singing in Haydn’s Creation in Liège and have long regarded him as one of the finest exponents of that flexible, versatile but slightly tricky vocal Fach; tricky, because the roles it embraces require both dark, sonorous low notes and a secure ringing top. The power and beauty of his voice was always in evidence and early picked up on by conductors such as Maazel and Karajan. If he had any slight weakness, it was in those deepest notes; otherwise, the tessitura of the most demanding bass-baritone roles held no fears for him. His range was remarkable, from “pure baritone” roles such as Escamillo to heavier, bass parts such as Verdi’s King Philip in Don Carlos.

Although he was not a Heldenbariton, his range extended to Wagnerian roles, too; except for occasional concert excerpts, he wisely avoided Wotan as both vocally and temperamentally unsuitable to his gifts but sang other major Wagnerian roles, in particular a lyrical, but tormented Amfortas in Parsifal – which he recorded for Karajan. Line and lyricism allied to beauty of tone were always the hallmarks of his voice, hence his Père Laurence early for Ozawa’s recording of Berlioz’ Roméo et Juliette gave early indication of his prowess. Karajan employed him as often as possible; in my survey of his recording of Pelléas et Mélisande, I write of him, “singing with exquisite subtlety and seamless legato but also rising to the moments of tortured jealousy Golaud experiences as his rage and suspicions mount. The scene where he forces his little boy Yniold to spy on the chaste lovers – they never consummate their love physically – is truly chilling.” I also refer you to this review of the “Autograph” 10 CD box set celebrating his many roles.

Ralph Moore