Bernard Tokkie
Encyclopedia
Bernard Tokkie He was a Flemish
opera singer of Jewish origin.
He performed for the first time in 1893 as a singer on the opening of the Dutch Lyrical Theatre, the Nederlandsch Lyrisch Tooneel, as Kuno in Der Freischütz
(in Dutch: Vrijschutter). The Nederlandsch Lyrisch Tooneel had first been established in 1890 as a division of the Dutch theatre, but became an independent opera company by 1893. The name had only been changed into Vlaamsche Opera
, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new building in 1907.
With Edward Keurvels, Albert Baets and Hendrik Fontaine, Tokkie took financial responsibility for the new Flemish Opera in the period 1893-96, at a time when the viability of this company was still questioned. Due to his merit as a singer, he was able to partially absorb the losses he suffered as an administrator. That the Opera was not being a profitable enterprise meant that Tokkie had to remain active within the Antwerp diamond business, at that time controlled by the Jews.
Twice, he became director of the Flemish Opera: once together, with Jef Judels, for eight years, between 1902 and 1909, and a second time, between 1923 and 1931, together with Fé Derickx.
. As a bass
singer, he sang for instance Jan Blockx
’s song Ons Vaderland in 1897 on the forbidden Flemish demonstration in the Belgian capital, Brussels
. Furthermore, he sang in the opera the Bride of the Sea (Bruid der Zee) by Jan Blockx and the Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
.
During the First World War, he settled in England
. There, he worked for two years in a munitions factory, while singing for other Belgian refugees and for wounded soldiers.
Bernard Tokkie could not escape from the anti-Semitism within the liberal circles in which he was involved. He never lost his Jewish roots. He sang for instance in the choir of the great Dutch synagogue
in Antwerp Bouwmeesterstraat. In 1926, he became director of the Jewish Theatre Studies, the Joodsche Theaterstudies.
Tokkie died in 1942 and expressed the wish to be buried as within Jewish tradition. It was under the war administration, that Antwerp’s city council gave him a funeral wreath. The deputy mayor
for culture and former Rexist and member of the Flemish National Union
, the VNV, Odiel Daem, rend him his last tribute. Bernard Tokkie’s tomb can be found on the Israelite
or Jewish section in the Schoonselhof Cemetery
. It had been designed by the Jewish architect Joseph de Lange.
Flemish people
The Flemings or Flemish are the Dutch-speaking inhabitants of Belgium, where they are mostly found in the northern region of Flanders. They are one of two principal cultural-linguistic groups in Belgium, the other being the French-speaking Walloons...
opera singer of Jewish origin.
Working towards a Flemish Opera
The Antwerp-born Tokkie studied at the Royal Flemish Music Conservatory. He completed schooling with Hendrik Fontaine.He performed for the first time in 1893 as a singer on the opening of the Dutch Lyrical Theatre, the Nederlandsch Lyrisch Tooneel, as Kuno in Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz
Der Freischütz is an opera in three acts by Carl Maria von Weber with a libretto by Friedrich Kind. It premiered on 18 June 1821 at the Schauspielhaus Berlin...
(in Dutch: Vrijschutter). The Nederlandsch Lyrisch Tooneel had first been established in 1890 as a division of the Dutch theatre, but became an independent opera company by 1893. The name had only been changed into Vlaamsche Opera
Vlaamse Opera
The Vlaamse Opera ' is an opera company in Belgium directed by Aviel Cahn which operates in two different opera houses in two Flemish cities, the Vlaamse Opera Antwerpen at Van Ertbornstraat 8 and the Vlaamse Opera Ghent at Schouwburgstraat 3...
, on the occasion of the inauguration of a new building in 1907.
With Edward Keurvels, Albert Baets and Hendrik Fontaine, Tokkie took financial responsibility for the new Flemish Opera in the period 1893-96, at a time when the viability of this company was still questioned. Due to his merit as a singer, he was able to partially absorb the losses he suffered as an administrator. That the Opera was not being a profitable enterprise meant that Tokkie had to remain active within the Antwerp diamond business, at that time controlled by the Jews.
Twice, he became director of the Flemish Opera: once together, with Jef Judels, for eight years, between 1902 and 1909, and a second time, between 1923 and 1931, together with Fé Derickx.
Jew and flamingant
Tokkie was a motivated Jewish flamingantFlamingant
The Dutch and French word flamingant refers to all activists of the Flemish movement and was initially used as a pejorative term by Belgicists to indicate nationalist Flemish people. It may be derived from Flamins, the Walloon word for Flemings. The word can be equally used as an adjective or...
. As a bass
Bass (voice type)
A bass is a type of male singing voice and possesses the lowest vocal range of all voice types. According to The New Grove Dictionary of Opera, a bass is typically classified as having a range extending from around the second E below middle C to the E above middle C...
singer, he sang for instance Jan Blockx
Jan Blockx
Jan Blockx was a Belgian composer, pianist and teacher. He was a leader of the Flemish nationalist school in music.-Biography:...
’s song Ons Vaderland in 1897 on the forbidden Flemish demonstration in the Belgian capital, Brussels
Brussels
Brussels , officially the Brussels Region or Brussels-Capital Region , is the capital of Belgium and the de facto capital of the European Union...
. Furthermore, he sang in the opera the Bride of the Sea (Bruid der Zee) by Jan Blockx and the Magic Flute by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart
Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart , baptismal name Johannes Chrysostomus Wolfgangus Theophilus Mozart , was a prolific and influential composer of the Classical era. He composed over 600 works, many acknowledged as pinnacles of symphonic, concertante, chamber, piano, operatic, and choral music...
.
During the First World War, he settled in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. There, he worked for two years in a munitions factory, while singing for other Belgian refugees and for wounded soldiers.
Bernard Tokkie could not escape from the anti-Semitism within the liberal circles in which he was involved. He never lost his Jewish roots. He sang for instance in the choir of the great Dutch synagogue
Hollandse Synagogue
The Synagogue Shomré Hadas, commonly known as the ' . is a modern orthodox synagogue built in Antwerp, Belgium. The building is so named because it was commissioned by descendants of Jews who came to Antwerp from Holland in the early 19th century. It was the first large synagogue in Antwerp...
in Antwerp Bouwmeesterstraat. In 1926, he became director of the Jewish Theatre Studies, the Joodsche Theaterstudies.
Tokkie died in 1942 and expressed the wish to be buried as within Jewish tradition. It was under the war administration, that Antwerp’s city council gave him a funeral wreath. The deputy mayor
Deputy Mayor
Deputy mayor is an elective or appointive office of the second-ranking official in many local governments. Many elected deputy mayors are members of the city council who are given the title and serve as acting mayor in the mayor's absence...
for culture and former Rexist and member of the Flemish National Union
Flemish National Union
The Flemish National Union was a Nationalist Flemish political party in Belgium, founded by Staf de Clercq on October 8, 1933. De Clercq became known as den Leider .-Creation:...
, the VNV, Odiel Daem, rend him his last tribute. Bernard Tokkie’s tomb can be found on the Israelite
Israelite
According to the Bible the Israelites were a Hebrew-speaking people of the Ancient Near East who inhabited the Land of Canaan during the monarchic period .The word "Israelite" derives from the Biblical Hebrew ישראל...
or Jewish section in the Schoonselhof Cemetery
Schoonselhof Cemetery
Schoonselhof Cemetery is located in Hoboken, Antwerp, a suburb of Antwerp, Belgium.Schoonselhof Cemetery has a Jewish section plus War memorials for the graves of 1,557 British Commonwealth soldiers who died fighting in World War I and World War II.-Notable interments:*Lode Baekelmans ,...
. It had been designed by the Jewish architect Joseph de Lange.