José van Dam, Celebrated Opera Singer, Dies at 85

José van Dam, the award-winning Belgian bass-baritone renowned for his powerful voice and captivating stage presence, has died at the age of 85. The Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium announced his death on Thursday, February 19, 2026, stating he passed away on Tuesday in Croatia .

A Career Spanning Decades

Born Joseph van Damme in Brussels on August 25, 1940, van Dam attended the Brussels Royal Conservatory and debuted as Don Basilio in Rossini’s “Il Barbiere di Siviglia” at the Opéra Royal de Wallonie-Liège in 1960 . He adopted the stage name José van Dam shortly thereafter. He first performed at the Paris Opera in 1962, taking on roles in Berlioz’s “Les Troyens” .

Van Dam’s career flourished in the late 1960s and early 1970s, notably at the Deutsche Oper Berlin under Lorin Maazel. He gained prominence at the Salzburg Easter Festival in 1971 as Don Pizarro in Beethoven’s “Fidelio” with Herbert von Karajan . He debuted at Milan’s Teatro alla Scala in 1972 as Escamillo in Bizet’s “Carmen,” followed by debuts at London’s Royal Opera in 1973 and New York’s Metropolitan Opera in 1975 .

A Legacy in Opera and Beyond

Van Dam is particularly celebrated for creating the title role in Olivier Messiaen’s “Saint François d’Assise” . He was described as having “a magnificent resonant and expressive voice” and being “an excellent actor” .

In 2004, van Dam founded the voice section at the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel in Belgium and served as a master in residence there until his death . He also appeared in a film version of Mozart’s “Don Giovanni” in 1979 and as an opera professor in “The Music Teacher” in 1988 .

Belgium has lost “its greatest ambassador of lyric art,” and the world has lost “a legend” according to the Queen Elisabeth Music Chapel .