Georgette Bastien

Bastien, Georgette, Mezzosoprano, * ? (?), † ? ( ?). She studied with Mme. Cornelis at the Conservatory in Brussels. She made her debut in concert appearances at the Consevatory in March 1900, singing an aria from »Samson et Dalila« from Saint-Saëns and lieder of Beethoven. She also appeared at the Conservatory in »Iphigénie en Tauride«. A critic from the Guide Musical considered her debut "sensational" and noted that she was wildly acclaimed. She began her career at the Monnaie in April 1901 and sang many leading roles which inclided: Amneris in »Aida«, Gertrude in »Hamlet«, Brangäne in »Tristan und Isolde«, the Mother in »Louise«, Fricka in »Die Walküre«, Ortrud in »Lohengrin«, Waltraute in »Götterdämmerung« and Iphigénie in »Iphigénie en Tauride«. She sang many other roles in the mezzo-soprano repertoire and participated in numerous creations amoung them: Guduul in »De Bruid der Zee« in 18. Oct. 1902, Divonne in »Sapho« (Massenet) in 03. Nov. 1903, Andromaque in »La Prise de Troie« (Part II »Les Troyens«) in 26. Dec. 1906 and Lisbeth in »Eros Vainquer« in 07. Mar. 1910. She had a beautiful presence, an ample voice of superb timbre, excellent diction, and a fine sense of dramatic projection. Despite her many endowments some felt early in her career that her voice "was a little thick" (une voix pateuse), but with continuing study she corrected what might have been a deficiency and was much applauded throughout her carre as an excellent artist.

(from: "Belgian Opera Houses and Singers" by Richard T. Soper, S. 255-6)