Jacques Bouhy

Jacques-Joseph-André Bouhy (18 June 1848 – 29 January 1929)[1] was a Belgian baritone, most famous for being the first to sing the "Toreador Song" in the role of Escamillo in the opera Carmen.

After studying at the Liège Conservatory of Music, he made his début at the Paris Opéra as Méphistophélès (Faust) in 1871.

At the Comique he also created the role of Don César de Bazan in 1872.

He spent time in the United States as the first director of the National Conservatory of Music of America in New York City before returning to Paris to sing the High Priest in Samson et Dalila (1890).

Singers taught by him or who received instruction from him include Gervase Elwes, Clara Butt, Louise Kirkby Lunn, Suzanne Adams, Bessie Abott, Leon Rains, Eva Gauthier, Olive Rae, Florence Turner-Maley,[2] Lillian Blauvelt and Louise Homer,[3] as well as Nellie A.