Revered singer debuts in North Texas

By John Ardoin

One of the foremost contemporary singers yet to appear in North Texas is Belgian bass-baritone José van Dam. That situation will be remedied with this accomplished artist appears in recital in Forth Worth with pianist Maciej Pikulski. In what promises to be a major event of the current season, Mr. van Dam will be heard in an epicurean evening of songs of Brahms, Strauss, Faure, Duparc and Ravel.

Beyond being a recitalist of rare distinction, Mr. van Dam is one of opera's most varied and admired artists and possesses a repertory that ranges widely from Mozart to Messiaen. He has been a swaggering Escamillo in Carmen, a menacing Goloud in Pelléas et Mélisande, a towering King Philip on Don Carlo, a commanding Simon Boccanegra and a possessed Wozzeck.

Although he is a regular and stellar part of seasons at the Metropolitan Opera, the Vienna Opera, Milan's La Scala and other gilt-edged companies, he rose slowly in the world of opera. He began with a walk-on role in Liege, Belgium, and moved to only slightly larger parts, such as Masetto in Don Giovanni in Geneva.

The man (he is now 57) and his art grew steadily. A major turning point came through his long and close association with conductor-impresario Herbert von Karajan. With Mr. von Karajan, he branched out into more formidable parts on the international circuit, such as Wagner's Dutchman and Amfortas, Beethoven's Don Pizarro in Fidelio and Jokanaan in Salome.

Eventually he became one of the music's most honored guests, earning two Grammys, appearing in the films "The Music Master" and Joseph Losey's cinematic version of Mozart's "Don Giovanni" and creating the title role in the world premiere of St. Francis of Assisi by Olivier Messiaen. Among his most recent recordings is his favorite role, Hans Sachs, in a new version of Wagner's Die Meistersinger made by the late Georg Solti.

Always interested in a new challenge and an opportunity to create a different sort of character, Mr. van Dam has just added Scarpia in Tosca, and the title role in Gianni Schicchi to his repertory. Along with his operatic triumphs, he is frequently heard with major orchestras around the world in music by Mahler and Bach and the requiems of Verdi and Brahms. He stands today as more than a singer; he is one of music's most rewarding, serious and compelling musicians.