Pieter van der Stock was born on November 18, 1933, in Rotterdam.
At a certain stage he moved to Britain, here he appeared in several BBC television shows and films, including “Z Cars,” “Doctor Who,” and “The Secret Agent.”
According to the National Library of Australia, Pieter van der Stock immigrated to Australia in 1965. He arrived in Sydney on November 18, 1965, aboard the SS Australis, which was a passenger liner that traveled between Europe and Australia.
After his arrival in Australia, van der Stock began building his career as an opera singer and actor, performing with Opera Australia and other prominent Australian arts organsations.
His debut with Opera Australia was as Pasha Selim in Mozart’s “Il Seraglio” in 1976. This performance marked the beginning of a successful career with Opera Australia, during which he became known for his powerful and expressive baritone voice and his ability to inhabit a wide range of characters on stage.
His debut performance as Pasha Selim would have required not only vocal skill but also the ability to convey the character’s complex emotional journey. The role of Pasha Selim is relatively brief but significant, and requires the singer to portray both the character’s power and authority as well as his capacity for mercy and forgiveness.
He passed away on August 15, 1985, in Sydney, Australia, at the age of 51.
