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José van Dam – an appreciation Posted by George Melkonian on February 23, 2026, 11:44 pm Sorry Ralph, to hear about the passing of Jose van Dam, another of the really really good ones to go. When I came home from the service the very first opera that I heard at San Francisco Opera in 1970 was Carmen. And it was a pretty good cast: Brigitte Fassbaender as Carmen, Guy Chauvet as Don Jose and Jose van Dam as Escamillo. When he came out and sang the Toreador aria he stole the show. I don’t know what the conservatories are teaching these days but they are certainly not producing singers of his caliber.

Re: José van Dam – an appreciation Posted by Ralph Moore on February 24, 2026, 7:23 pm, in reply to "José van Dam – an appreciation" Thanks, George; we were spoiled by the quality of singers we could hear as young men - and every generation seems to say that! Previous Message Sorry Ralph, to hear about the passing of Jose van Dam, another of the really really good ones to go. When I came home from the service the very first opera that I heard at San Francisco Opera in 1970 was Carmen. And it was a pretty good cast: Brigitte Fassbaender as Carmen, Guy Chauvet as Don Jose and Jose van Dam as Escamillo. When he came out and sang the Toreador aria he stole the show. I don’t know what the conservatories are teaching these days but they are certainly not producing singers of his caliber.

Re: José van Dam – an appreciation Posted by George Melkonian on February 24, 2026, 10:55 pm, in reply to "Re: José van Dam – an appreciation" I confess that in recent years I have heard some good singers just haven't heard many great voices! And that is what brought me to the art form in the beginning.

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