Great Historical Singers (Mark Reizen)

Mark Reizen (1895-1992) was a Jewish-Ukranian bass who was one of the most intelligent singers I've ever heard on record.  His voice was, in my opinion a basso-cantante, with an easy upper extension, and a faster vibrato than a basso profondo.   The most important thing is that Reizen was smart.  He kept singing almost up until his death.  My goal in this post is not to present a biography, but to talk about why I think he's important in history.
   What impresses me most about Reizen is his incredible longevity, and musicianship.  He never pushes his voice in any recording I've heard of him, he excelled in opera and song, and he makes every word mean something.  I like to call music a canvas of colors.  Reizen had a wide variety of vocal colors to express the meaning of the text, including an excellent mezza voce.  He had incredible breath support, and expression.  Also, he sang Prince Gremin at age 90 on stage at the Bolshoi, in costume.  I've heard other singers on YouTube who were famous singing in their homes or studios, but on stage in costume is a different ball game.  To my knowledge this feat has not been done by any other singer.  Reizen sang recitals into his 70s and 80s, and the breath support is just incredible, and there is no wobble.  Check him out on YouTube.
     Does Reizen have the pipes of other great Slavic basses such as Ghiaurov, and Nesterenko?  In my opinion, no he doesn't, but there is so much artistry in Reizen's singing that it makes up for it.  Reizen makes Aleko's Cavatina a real jealous lament, I recommend his recording of that aria.  He really delivers the words with a nuance for each word, like a Shakespearean actor delivers a monologue.  He did that with everything I have heard him sing.  There was a unique and deep commitment in his musicality which is impossible to duplicate.  Every singer has their individual art, and Reizen's was pretty amazing.  Listen to this recording of Reizen singing Konchak's aria for an example of his great art.

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=z8NN6BODzeg&feature=related