Mark Reizen at 79- The fires in the rooms were already out (Tchaikovsky)

The great Ukrainian-born Jewish bass Mark Reizen (1895-1992) sings Tchaikovsky’s “Uzh gasli v komnatakh ogni“ (“The fires in the rooms were already out“), , No.5 (text by Grand Duke Konstantin Romanov). Recorded 1974, with A. Makarov at the piano. Even at age 79, the ever-youthful and spry Reizen sings with beautiful control of dynamics and legato, putting to shame many singers half his age. Eleven years later, Reizen celebrated his 90th birthday by performing the role of Prince Gremin in “Evgeniy Onegin“ (at the Bolshoi Theater)- a feat that appears to be unequalled in the history of opera.