He studied at the Brussels Conservatory with Désiré Demest.
In 1904 he made his professional opera debut at La Monnaie as the Nightwatchman in Richard Wagner's Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg.
He was a leading performer at the Royal Opera House in London from 1906 to 1914 and again in 1937.
He made several appearances with the Teatro Colón and La Scala during the 1920s.
From 1910, Crabbé used the pseudonym Charles Morin when performing in small roles in London.