Vilmos Basch

1. Wilhelm Basch was born in Pesth on 20 August 1845. He would later be known as Vilmos in Hungarian. See JewishGen Hungarian Births

2. Wilhelm appeared in several lexicons from which some of the details of his life can be established. See Kutsch & Riemens (eds) (1987) Großes Sängerlexikon page 272. Francke.

3. Wilhelm Basch married Feri Deutsch 15 Jan 1871. Wilhelm is aged 25 from Pest; Feri is aged 19 from Obuda. See JewishGen Hungarian Marriages

4. In 1871 Vilmos Basch registers as a grain dealer in April 1871 (see Budapest Gazette) and is listed as a grain dealer in the 1871 Budapest Kozlony directory.

5. For more on the opera in Budapest see Prokopovych (2014) In the Public Eye: The Budapest Opera House, the Audience and the Press, 1884-1918. Central European University Press.

6. Dr Wilhelm Basch, opera singer, listed as a visitor staying at the Hotel Lauer, Olmuz (Olomouc, Czech Republic) in Olmuzer Neue Zeit, 19 Jan 1876 and again on 21 Jan 1876. On the 24 Jan 1876 the paper reported that “Tomorrow the 25th of January. First guest performance of the opera singer Dr Basch "Lucretia Borgia".

7. Wilhelm performed at the Pressburg Redouten Saal on 23 April 1876. See Fremden-Blatt 22 April 1876

8. The 1876/77 season with Ulm is described in Kirchner, Marlene (1960) Das Görlitzer Stadttheater 1851 - 1898: eine Provinzbühne in der theatergeschichtlichen Situation des 19. Jahrhunderts unter besonderer Berücksichtigung der schlesischen Presse, p.153. Available online : Bayerische Staatsbibliothek

9. Dr.Wilhelm Basch, opera singer and wife stay in the Englischer Hof hotel, Prague. See Fremdenliste, Prager Tagblatt, 4 June 1878.

10. Budapest opera 10 Aug 1878. Europa: chronik der gebilden welt fur das jahr 1878 and also Fővárosi Lapok, 11 Aug 1878 and 15 Aug 1878

11. Leipzig 1880/81. Neues Freie Presse 30 July 1881

12. Rotterdam 1882/83. Die Presse 11 October 1882 and Neues Freie Presse 12 Oct 1882

13. Wilhelm was confirmed for the Rotterdam 1883/84 season in Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad 5 May 1883 and listed as appearing in Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad 6 Aug 1883.

14. Quote: “The solo part…” Caecilia : algemeen muzikaal tijdschrift van Nederland 1884, p.47

15. Concert in the Groote Zaal der Societeit Harmonie is advertised in the Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad 28 March 1884

16. Concert in the Zaal der Maatschappij advertised in Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad 23 March 1885 and 30 March 1885.

17. Quote “The artists…” Rotterdamsch Nieuwsblad 1 April 1885

18. Three letters written by Wilhelm Basch to the Dresden Hofbuhne are held in the archives of the Goethe University Library in Frankfurt.

19. Metropolitan Opera season announced in The Boston Traveler 23 Aug 1886. This was reported in Vienna in the Wiener Zeitung 27 Sept 1886

20. Details of the entire 1886/87 Met Opera season can be found in the archives of the Met Opera. Available online : archives.metoperafamily.org

21. A review of the opera was reported in the Neues Freie Presse 5 Dec 1886

22. Quote “As a whole…” New York Times 22 Jan 1887

23. Quote “Dr.Basch renewed…” New York Times 3 Feb 1887

24. Quote “There was enough…” New York Times 22 Feb 1887

25. Final performance in New York New York Times 26 Feb 1887

26. Application to manage Brno Stadt Theatre reported in Neue Freie Presse 5 Oct 1887 and Marisches Tagblatt 6 Oct 1887

27. Rigoletto advertised in Budapest Nemzet, 6 Oct 1887 and Pesti Hirlap 11 Oct 1887 . Details can also be found in the archives of the Budapest Opera available online : http://digitar.opera.hu.

28. A record of his pay can be found in the accounts of the Budapest Opera. Orszaggyules Kepviselohazanak Ironanyai az 1887 evi Szeptember ho 26-ara hirdettet p.278

29. Quote “Baritone Dr.Vilmos Basch….” Pesti Hirlap 11 Oct 1887

30. Quote “Dr.Vilmos Basch continued….” Pesti Hirlap 15 Oct 1887

31. Performing Rigoletto at the National Theatre Nemzet 17 Oct 1887

32. On 1 Nov 1887 he performs Wolfram at the Palace of Popular Culture in Amsterdam. Algemeen Handelsblad 1 Nov 1887

33. A benefit concert for Wilhelm is held on 11 April 1888 by the Hoogduitsche Opera in Rotterdam. Rotterdamsche Nieuwsblad 10 April 1888

34. Wilhelm performs with Theatre von Konigsberg 1888-90 reported in Signale für die musikalische Welt 1889, p806 and also Kutsch & Riemens (eds) (1987) Großes Sängerlexikon page 272. Francke.

35. Wilhelm performs at Kroll Theatre in Berlin reported in Signale für die musikalische Welt 1889, p536

36. In 1888 Dr.Vilmos Basch, opera-enekes is listed as living at Kiraly-utca 82. See Hungaricana. This confirms that he is both a doctor and an opera singer. It also shows that in 1888 he was living in Budapest.

37. In 1892 Vilmos Basch is listed as a grain & fruit broker on Lipot-korut 21/a (nowadays Szent Istvan Korut) (See Magyar Compass 1892) and in 1894 listed at furdo-utca 4 (See Arcanum)

38. Wilhelm’s role in founding a comic opera house in Budapest is announced in Wiener Zeitung 23 June 1898 and Neues Wiener Journal 24 June 1898. In December Wilhelm writes to the Pester Lloyd (11 Dec 1898) clarifying that it is he, not Julius Basch, who is involved in the project.

39. A feature article appears in Das Interessante Blatt on 12 Jan 1899. The Interessante Blatt was a weekly sister paper to the Extrablatt. Ludwig was the editor.

40. Quote : “The former royal Saxon opera….” Pester Lloyd, 21 March 1899

41. In 1912 Basch Vilmos was listed under Muszakiugynoksegek living at Korall-u 11. (See Hungaricana) Korall utca (Coral street) is now called Balzac utca. See budapest100.hu. Oszkar (and probably his mother) lived at Liszt Ferenc Ter 13. See Hungaricana

42. On 13 Jan 1918 Vilmos Basch is recorded as a business owner of an agency brokering the sale and purchase of instruments. I am not certain as to the purpose of the document. Central Bulletin vol 43

43. Dr Wilhelm Basch and Fery are mentioned on the funeral notice of his brother-in-law Moriz Deutsch (Pester Lloyd 21 Aug 1891), sister-in-law Deutsch Manone (Pester Lloyd, 15 Oct 1897) and father-in-law Weisz Armin (Pester Lloyd 28 Feb 1899)

44. Basch Vilmosne (also known as Fery Deutsch” died on 22 Feb 1918 and buried on 24 Feb 1918. The funeral notice appears in Az Est 24 Feb 1918). In Hungarian naming convention a wife’s formal name was the husband’s name with “ne” added to the end of the forename.

45. Wilhelm Basch (Basch Vilmos) died on 7 Dec 1927. Ludwig places the funeral notice for his brother in Magyar Hirlap 8 Dec 1927. He was buried on 9 Dec in the Jewish cemetery.

46. The evidence that Wilhelm had a son called Karoly Basch is scant. A Karoly Basch was listed as a grain broker like his grandfather during the 1890s. If he did have a son called Karoly he must have died before 1918 as he is not listed on either of his parents funeral notices.

47. There are several reports of a Karoly Basch being captured as a prisoner of war in October 1918. Budapest Hirlap 21 Oct 1914. In December 1914 Karoly Basch was listed as wounded. In the medical newspaper Budapesti Orvosi Újság Dec 1914 Basch Károly, a corporal in the Infantry Regiment 6, 6th company is listed as wounded.