Singer of the Day: Mark Reizen-1895-1992

The great Ukrainian bass Mark Reizen sings Tchaikovsky's "Sred' shumnovo bala" ("Amidst the din of the ball"), Op.38, No.3 (text by Aleksei Tolstoi)at 79!

In the midst of the noisy ball,
amid the anxious bustle of life,
I caught sight of you,
your face, an enigma.

Only your eyes gazed sadly.
Your divine voice
Sounded like pipes from afar,
Like the dancing waves of the sea.

Your delicate form entranced me,
and your pensiveness,
your sad yet merry laughter,
has permeated my heart since then.

And in the lonely hours of the night,
when I do lie down to rest,
I see your pensive eyes,
hear your merry laugh...

And wistfully drifting
into mysterious reveries,
I wonder if I love you,
but it seems that I do!