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Baustian, Robert F. (16126186): Difference between revisions

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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Robert attended became Opera Director at the University of Kansas. Became Opera Director at the University of Kansas. Baustian (4 June 1921 – February 2016) was born in Storm Lake, Iowa. He graduated from East High School in Sioux City in 1938 and received a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in 1942. He enlisted in the U.S. Army Signal Corps in September 1942, trained in the enlisted reserve (radar) near Chicago, entered active service at Fort Custer, Michigan, in September 1943, and completed basic training at Miami Beach. He trained as a German prisoner-of-war interrogator at Camp Ritchie and served in combat with the 4th Infantry Division and the 11th Armored Division in Germany from November 1944 to May 1945. Discharged as a technician fifth grade at Camp Grant, Illinois, in March 1946, he received the Bronze Star. He returned to Eastman for a Master of Music (1948), studied in Zurich, and conducted opera and symphony in Europe and the United States, including as assistant conductor for Gian Carlo Menotti's ''The Consul'' (1950–1951). From 1953 to 1957 he was second conductor at the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden. He joined The Santa Fe Opera in its first season (1957) and conducted there through 1977; from 1966 to 1983 he headed conducting at Oberlin Conservatory. He died in February 2016 at age 94.
Robert attended became Opera Director at the University of Kansas. [[Baustian, Robert F. (16126186)|Robert Baustian]] was a Ritchie Boy. Robert was born June 4, 1921 at Storm Lake, Iowa. He graduated from East High School in Sioux City in 1938 and received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in 1942. During World War II, Robert was with U. Army Signal Gyps in September of 1942, training in the enlisted reserve (radar) in Chicago and vicinity. He was inducted into active service at Fort Custer, Michigan, in September 1943, received his basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, trained for German prisoner of war interrogation at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, and was in combat with the 4th Infantry Division and the 11th Armored Division in Germany from November 1944 to May 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1946, he returned to the Eastman School of Music and received his Master of Music degree in 1948. A pianist and conductor of opera and symphony, he has conducted in Germany, Switzerland, France and Spain as well as being the assistant conductor for Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera, "The Consul," which toured the United States in 1950 and 1951. From 1953 to 1957, he was the second conductor at Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, returning to the United States in 1957. [[Baustian, Robert F. (16126186)|Robert Baustian]]'s association with The Santa Fe Opera began in 1957, when he was invited by Founder John Crosby to join the company in its very first season. He was a pillar of the conducting staff until 1977, and his influence helped establish the company's strong artistic standards. During his 20-year tenure in Santa Fe, he conducted 51 productions of 25 different operas, in repertory ranging from Marvin Levy's The Tower (1957) to Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, which he conducted in 8 different seasons. Baustian was known for his special interest in young singers, and many who had the opportunity to work with him credit those experiences as fundamentally shaping their careers. Baustian was head of the conducting department at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where he mentored young conductors. He continued at Oberlin until 1983. His generosity to the Opera extended beyond his teaching and conducting duties; he served on the Board of Directors from 1985-1990 and was a generous supporter of his beloved Apprentice Program for more than 25 years.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==

Revision as of 02:58, 1 September 2026

Robert F. Baustian
Robert F. Baustian
Personal details
Born4 June 1921
Malcom, Iowa
DiedFebruary 2016
NativityUnited States
ReligionProtestant
Military service
Allegiance United States
Branch United States Army
ASN16126186
RankMajor
Rank at RitchiePrivate First Class
Camp RitchieClass 19 (16 May – 13 July 1944)
Section5C
EnlistedChicago, Illinois
TeamIPW 153
Research notes on this page are compiled from the source file and later edits. They may be unverified, incomplete, or incorrect, and should not be treated as established fact. Please correct the article or add sources on the talk page. For class-roster terms, see About the data.
Sources & confidence: Treat Research notes as leads, not settled fact. Prefer NARA, the class roster, newspapers, Find a Grave, or published histories for contested claims. Mark unsourced claims with {{Needs source}}, or explain disagreements on talk. Baseline import notes: About the data.


Robert F. Baustian (born 4 June 1921) was a Ritchie Boy (from United States; Protestant) who trained at Camp Ritchie in class 19 and served with IPW Team 153.

Biography

Robert attended became Opera Director at the University of Kansas. Robert Baustian was a Ritchie Boy. Robert was born June 4, 1921 at Storm Lake, Iowa. He graduated from East High School in Sioux City in 1938 and received his Bachelor of Music degree from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in 1942. During World War II, Robert was with U. Army Signal Gyps in September of 1942, training in the enlisted reserve (radar) in Chicago and vicinity. He was inducted into active service at Fort Custer, Michigan, in September 1943, received his basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, trained for German prisoner of war interrogation at Camp Ritchie, Maryland, and was in combat with the 4th Infantry Division and the 11th Armored Division in Germany from November 1944 to May 1945. He was awarded the Bronze Star. In 1946, he returned to the Eastman School of Music and received his Master of Music degree in 1948. A pianist and conductor of opera and symphony, he has conducted in Germany, Switzerland, France and Spain as well as being the assistant conductor for Gian-Carlo Menotti's opera, "The Consul," which toured the United States in 1950 and 1951. From 1953 to 1957, he was the second conductor at Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden, Germany, returning to the United States in 1957. Robert Baustian's association with The Santa Fe Opera began in 1957, when he was invited by Founder John Crosby to join the company in its very first season. He was a pillar of the conducting staff until 1977, and his influence helped establish the company's strong artistic standards. During his 20-year tenure in Santa Fe, he conducted 51 productions of 25 different operas, in repertory ranging from Marvin Levy's The Tower (1957) to Mozart's The Marriage of Figaro, which he conducted in 8 different seasons. Baustian was known for his special interest in young singers, and many who had the opportunity to work with him credit those experiences as fundamentally shaping their careers. Baustian was head of the conducting department at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where he mentored young conductors. He continued at Oberlin until 1983. His generosity to the Opera extended beyond his teaching and conducting duties; he served on the Board of Directors from 1985-1990 and was a generous supporter of his beloved Apprentice Program for more than 25 years.

Research notes

  • ASTP
  • 6/4/1921-a

Gallery

Technical record

Field Imported value
Nara ASN 16126186
Nara Name BAUSTIAN ROBERT F
Nara State 72
Nara County 169
Nara POE 6120
Nara DOE 180942
Nara Grade Alpha PVT
Nara Grade Code 8
Nara Branch Alpha SC
Nara Branch Code 90
Branch Signal Corps
Nara Term or Enlistment 0
Term of enlistment Unknown
Defer. Date 3
Nara Source 0
Nara Nativity 72
Nativity.1 IOWA
Nara Year of Birth 21
Nara Race 1
Nara Race Description White citizen
Nara Education 8
Nara Civilian Occupation 992
Nara Marital Status 6
Nara Height (inches) 71
Nara Weight (lbs) 145
Class_ASN 16126186
Class_Name BAUSTIAN, Robert F.
match_method asn_exact_name_exact
row_source both

Timeline

  • 19.
  • Assigned to IPW Team 153 attached to 11th Armored Division.

Sources

  • Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
  • Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
  • NARA World War II Army enlistment records (where a NARA ASN is present)
  • 1940 U.S. Census (where a census match is present)
  • Ritchie Boys of WWII Facebook page, post dated 2023-01-01 (1 post)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Robert F. Baustian for Camp Ritchie (private research document; 1 source documents reviewed)
  • Dan Gross, Timeline of Baustian, Robert F. for Camp Ritchie (private research files; selected non-private narrative findings; 1 source files: ROBERT F. BAUSTIAN.doc)