Tag: Mark Reizen

I’d been wanting to honor the amazing Mark Reizen for some time. For me, Reizen is the greatest of the Russian basses. Chaliapin gets all the press, and from all accounts he was a presence to be reckoned with onstage, but on recordings Reizen is the Tsar of Russian basses. Yet, for obvious reasons (he lived in Russia from 1895 to 1992, with the peak of his career at the height of Stalin’s rule), he is little known in the West.

Reizen would have seemed to have been a Soviet dream, a great artist of humble origins (he came from a family of miners), yet his Jewish background could have been a major hindrance. But Stalin was totally enamored of his voice. In fact, when he was called to Stalin’s box (dressed as the devil, no less) during a tour with the Mariinsky, Stalin was full of compliments and asked why he didn’t sing in Moscow more often. Reizen explained that because of his position, he lived in Leningrad. He had a contract and an apartment. Stalin mused, “Perhaps we can do something and find you an apartment here.” The next day he was taken around in an official car to look at apartments. This is the story Reizen loved to tell about how he came to join the Bolshoi. He was 35 years old.

Reizen remained as principal bass at the Bolshoi until his retirement in 1954. During his tenure, he received the Stalin Prize three times.

Always an imposing figure, Reizen stood six foot three. He had a strong stage presence. In what is essentially a cameo role as the Viking Guest in the fourth tableau of Rimsky-Korsakov’s “Sadko,” Reizen could overwhelm his listeners. This is from a complete recording of the work, made in 1952, much prized by collectors, with Nikolai Golovanov (another neglected Soviet master) conducting.

Reizen’s final appearance was at a gala held at the Bolshoi for the occasion of his 90th birthday, at which he sang Gremin’s aria from “Eugene Onegin.” As you’ll hear, he sang with control and even elegance until the very end. His was an amazing instrument.

PHOTO: Is Reizen the most awesome Boris on record? It’s quite possible he is.