José Van Dam, a distinguished baryton-basse opera singer whose career spanned from the Opéra de Paris in 1961 to major international stages, has died at the age of 87. His talent was discovered at age 11 in a singing competition in Brussels, leading him through prestigious musical institutions before he retired in 2010 on the stage of the Théâtre royal de La Monnaie. Van Dam, known for his humility, continued to perform occasionally, notably in "The Magic Flute" at the Opéra de Paris in 2017, and was honored at the International Opera Awards in Munich in 2024. He passed away on February 17th at his home in Croatia, leaving behind a legacy of numerous roles and collaborations with renowned conductors.