Joseph, Baron van Damme, known as Jos� van Dam, is a Belgian bass-baritone. At the age of 17, he entered the Brussels Royal Conservatory and studied with Frederic Anspach. A year later, he graduated with diplomas and first prizes in voice and opera performance. He made his opera d�but as the music teacher Don Basilio in Gioacchino Rossini?s Il Barbiere di Siviglia at the Paris Opera in 1961, and remained in the company until 1965, when he sang his first major role, Escamillo from Bizet's Carmen. He then sang for two seasons at Geneva, La Scala, Covent Garden, and in Paris. At Geneva, Van Dam sang in the premi�re of Milhaud's La m�re coupable in 1966. Lorin Maazel heard van Dam and invited him to record Ravel?s L?heure espagnole with him for Deutsche Grammophon. In 1967, Maazel asked him to join the Deutsche Oper in Berlin. Van Dam has performed at L?Op�ra de Paris, Covent Garden, the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro alla Scala in Milan, Vienna State Opera, Deutsche Oper Berlin, the Th��tre Royal de la Monnaie in Brussels, Teatro Col�n in Buenos Aires, the Salzburg Festival, and festivals in Aix-en-Provence and Orange, France. 

August 25th, 1940 in Ixelles - Elsene (Age 84)