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

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|death_year=2016
|death_year=2016
|death_date=February 2016
|death_date=February 2016
|birth_place=Malcom, Iowa
|birth_place=Storm Lake, Iowa
|rank_final=Major
|rank_final=Major
|awards=Bronze Star
|awards_grid=Bronze Star
|awards_ribbons=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
|awards_ribbon_rows=Ribbon_Bronze_Star_Medal_ribbon.png
}}
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'''[[Baustian, Robert F. (16126186)|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.
'''Robert Frederick Baustian''' (4 June 1921 &ndash; February 2016) was a United States Army interrogator who trained at [[Camp Ritchie]], Maryland, in [[Class 19]] and later became an opera conductor.
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== Biography ==
== Biography ==
Robert was born June 4, 1921 at Storm Lake, Iowa.
Robert Frederick Baustian was born on 4 June 1921 at Storm Lake, Iowa, the son of Alfred and Grace E. Martin Baustian. He graduated from East High School in Sioux City in 1938 and earned a Bachelor of Music from the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester in 1942.


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. In 1946, he returned to the Eastman School of Music and received his Master of Music degree in 1948. Robert attended became Opera Director at the University of Kansas.
Baustian enlisted in the Army Signal Corps enlisted reserve (radar) in Chicago in September 1942 and entered active service at Fort Custer, Michigan, in September 1943. After basic training at Miami Beach, Florida, he trained for German prisoner-of-war interrogation at Camp Ritchie (Class 19) 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.


Baustian was head of the conducting department at Oberlin College Conservatory of Music, where he mentored young conductors.
Returning to Eastman for a Master of Music in 1948, Baustian studied further in Zurich and conducted opera and symphony in Europe and the United States, including assistant conducting on Gian Carlo Menotti’s ''The Consul'' tour (1950–1951) and service as second conductor at the Hessisches Staatstheater in Wiesbaden (1953–1957). From 1957 he was associated with the Santa Fe Opera and later with the University of Kansas and Oberlin Conservatory. He died in February 2016.
 
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.
 
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. (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.
 
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. He was a pillar of the conducting staff until 1977, and his influence helped establish the company's strong artistic standards. 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. (16126186)|Robert Baustian]] was a Ritchie Boy. During World War II, Robert was with U.
 
He was awarded the Bronze Star. 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.


== Research notes ==
== Research notes ==
* ASTP
* ASTP
* Birth place: packet/obituary materials support Storm Lake, Iowa (replacing earlier Malcom, Iowa). Live |rank_final=Major is not supported by the wartime packet (T/5 at discharge); left unchanged pending stronger evidence of a later commission.


== Gallery ==
== Gallery ==
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* Born 4 June 1921 in Malcom, IA.
* 4 June 1921 — Born in Storm Lake, Iowa.
* 4 September 1944 — Promoted to T/5. Transferred to DEML.
* 1938 — Graduated East High School, Sioux City, Iowa.
* Assigned to IPW Team 153 attached to 11th Armored Division.
* 1942 — Bachelor of Music, Eastman School of Music.
* September 1942 — Enlisted in Army Signal Corps reserve (radar training, Chicago).
* September 1943 — Inducted at Fort Custer, Michigan; basic training at Miami Beach.
* 1943–1944 — Trained at Camp Ritchie (Class 19) for German POW interrogation; IPW Team 153.
* November 1944–May 1945 — Combat interrogation service with 4th Infantry Division and 11th Armored Division in Germany.
* March 1946 — Discharged as T/5 at Camp Grant, Illinois; Bronze Star.
* 1948 — Master of Music, Eastman School of Music.
* 1957 — Began long association with the Santa Fe Opera.
* February 2016 — Died.
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== Sources ==
== Sources ==
* [https://slippedisc.com/2016/02/santa-fe-mourns-formative-opera-maestro/ Slipped Disc, “Santa Fe mourns formative opera maestro”]
* [https://apnews.com/article/260755bd4ea24c89af0328d252024267 AP News remembrances of Robert Baustian]
* [https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/santafenewmexican/name/robert-baustian-obituary?id=17345054 Robert Baustian obituary (Santa Fe New Mexican / Legacy)]
* RB Archive biographical sketch (University of Kansas / Santa Fe Opera era), Robert F. Baustian packet
* Camp Ritchie Museum, Inc. (The Ritchie History Museum), Classes 1–31 roster data
* 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
* Dan Gross research spreadsheets, including original Excel timeline/roster work, combined with other research and records
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