Obituary: Bass-Baritone Pieter Vis, Aged 68, Passes Away

By Logan Martell

Renowned bass-baritone singer Pieter Vis died on Friday, Sept. 29 after suffering a brain hemorrhage.

Vis enjoyed a long and storied career in the arts which lasted over 50 years; born in 1949 he became known as a famous boy soprano in his hometown of Rotterdam, Netherlands. He was classically trained by such figures as soprano Iza Valeton-Maas Geesteranus, Viennese pianist Geza Frid, and bass-baritone Herman Schey. After graduating in 1977 as a soloist, he placed first in several singing competitions both domestic and international.

In 1980, Vis was awarded with the bronze city medal by the city of Belgium for his promotion of music and the works of West Flemish priest and poet Guido Gezelle. In 1990 he also awarded with the bronze Albert Einstein Medal for Peace and Culture at the International Academy Foundation located in Malta, New York. In 2006, VI’s appeared at the annual Wiener Ball on the 250th birthday celebration of Mozart, performing with member of the Wiener Symphoniker. A promoter of music as much as a performer, Vis organized many charity and youth talent concerts over the last 35 years, and worked as a program maker for Radio Maria.

Over the course of his 50-year career the bass-baritone sang in over 500 church concerts, produced over 30 CDs, and left audiences breathless with his performances in operas such as “Rigoletto,” “Die Zauberflote” and “Die Fledermaus.”

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