# Operatic Basses of Past and Present



## MarkJackson (Oct 17, 2011)

Hi!
I couldn't find any threads concerning the best basses of the past and present (if there is one, so help me God, as I hate lookin like a n00b). My favorites are Boris Christoff, Kurt Moll, Ezio Pinza, and of course, Feodor Chaliapin.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

MarkJackson said:


> Hi!
> I couldn't find any threads concerning the best basses of the past and present (if there is one, so help me God, as I hate lookin like a n00b). My favorites are Boris Christoff, Kurt Moll, Ezio Pinza, and of course, Feodor Chaliapin.


Hello Mark & welcome (back) to the forum.

A man after my own heart - I _love_ talking about my favourite fach.  And no there isn't a thread dedicated/devoted to basses & I don't know why there isn't because there should be. We have a gorgeous baritones thread & discussion on basses have been slotted in there, so they haven't really been neglected.

I love Samuel Ramey and of the current crop I really like John Relyea. One very new guy who will be one to watch is Grigory Soloviov. He's still a baby in basso terms but I was mesmerised by his Polypheme in Festival d'Aix-en-Provence's Acis & Galatea.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Even though I'm primarily a tenor enthusiast, there are plenty of basses among my favorite singers. Here are some who come to mind:
Kurt Moll
Gwynne Howell
Franz Crass
Stephen Milling
Sam Ramey
Josef Greindl
Peter Meven
Karl Ridderbusch
Paul Plishka


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

The Bass voice is my favorite and at the top of my list is Alexander Kipnis. Not far behind him are Gottlob Frick, Martti Talvela and Jerome Hines. A few others I like are Eric Halfvarson, Aage Haugland and Robert Lloyd.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

One of my favourite operas is Massenet's _Don Quichotte_ which he wrote for Feodor Chaliapin.

I have several CDs including an Italian version but I'm disappointed with the only DVD.










There's a wonderful film called _The Adventures of Don Quixote_ with Chaliapin in the title role which was recorded in both English and French. A little gem.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

These are the basses considered the greatest although I am sure some people will feel their favourites have been left out' But there are not many who could really be desribed as great.
Pol Plancon 1854-1914. France. "One of the greatest masters of vocal technique that ever trod the stage. What a golden age singer should be, he was."

Feodor Chaliapin 1873-1938. Russia. The great singing actor in opera and song. he was not a cavernous bass and his voice veered towards bass-baritone.

Leff Sibiriakoff 1869-1942. Russia. Superb deep sound, but not so hot on interpretation. Still untouched as a technician.

Marcel Journet 1867-1933. France. A great range and fluency of technique.

Tancredi Pasero 1893-1983. Italy. These two were contemporaries, Pinza went to the NY Met. Pasero stayed in Italy.
Ezio Pinza 1892-1957. Italy. Pinza was probably the first bass to get filmstar treatment, but with his personality and looks it wasn't surprising. Pasero had the steadiest voice imaginable, it just floated along and easily encompassed the lowest of notes.I suppose his vibrato will not please some people, but this is what gave him so much control.

Alexander Kipnis 1891-1978. Russia. " A miracle among singers, grandly sonorous down to the depths--low B Flat,A,G.His German was perfect as he was based in Germany. He joined the Met in 1940 probably too late to hear the best of his voice on American recordings. His repertoire covered German,Russian and Italian opera. He was also a very great lieder singer.

Friederich Schorr 1888-1953. Hungary. A distinguished Wagnerian bass he sang regularly at the Berlin and Vienna State Operas and Bayreuth.He joined the Met in 1924.

Mark Reizen 1895-1992. Russia. A voice that was deep,firm and authorative he appeared at the Bolshoi for thirty years.

Gottlob Frick 1908-1994. Germany. An inky black bass . He sang Verdi roles in German and was highly regarded in Mozart and Wagner.

Hans Hotter 1909-2003. Germany. Bass, Bass- Baritone. Very distinguished Wagnerian and a great lieder singer.

Boris Christoff 1914-1992. Bulgaria. Noted for his powerful voice and the intensity of his musical and dramatic skill.his repertoire covered Italian, French and Russian opera and Russian song.

Others that are worth a mention :

Georg Hann 1897-1950. Austria. A thoroughly trained bass voice, his repertoire included Mozart, Beethoven, Smetana,Richard Strauss, Wagner.Lortzing. A great character and an amusing actor.

Kim Borg 1919. Finland. Dark timbered powerful bass, good in Italian,German,Russian opera and oratorio and song'

Nicola Rossi-Lemeni.1920-1993. Mother Russian ,father Italian so bi-lingual. Worldwide activity on stage and in concert covering the Italian and Russian repertoire.He was married to Virginia Zeani.


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## larifari (Sep 5, 2011)

Sadly, of the past, Laszlo Polgar:


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

I guess I'm alone in loving Donald McIntyre.

McIntyre as Wotan in the Chéreau production of Der Ring, conducted by Boulez:


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

thanks for the clip. i love Chereau's ring. have the cds and dvd.
McIntyre is a great actor as well as singer. i love his performances.
he did a great Meistersinger dvd as well.

and remember "don't eat the yellow snow"
GB F.ZAPPA


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## Crudblud (Dec 29, 2011)

Sadly there only seem to be a couple of DVDs with McIntyre, which is a shame because I think he has amazing stage presence and a great voice. I don't have any CDs with him either.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

Last week I saw a performance of _Attila_ by Finnish bass Mika Kares. I'd not heard of him before & was very impressed.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Crudblud said:


> Sadly there only seem to be a couple of DVDs with McIntyre, which is a shame because I think he has amazing stage presence and a great voice. I don't have any CDs with him either.


Sadly there are many excellent basses who are under recognized by the record companies.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

GoneBaroque said:


> Sadly there are many excellent basses who are under recognized by the record companies.


 And then you don't mention who the poor guys are!


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## eorrific (May 14, 2011)

I'm an opera neophyte, but one of my favourites is Rene Pape.






Then there's Samuel Ramey, Kurt Moll, Nikolai Ghiaurov, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Gottlob Frick. Though I have listened to very little of them. Should listen more to decide whether to like them more or less as I do now.


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Another of my favorites: the Italian bass Giorgio Tadeo, a noted Mozart interpreter in the '60s and '70s. Here he sings Sarastro's aria, "_In diesen heil'gen Hallen_" from _Die Zauberflöte_


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

MAuer said:


> Another of my favorites: the Italian bass Giorgio Tadeo, a noted Mozart interpreter in the '60s and '70s. Here he sings Sarastro's aria, "_In diesen heil'gen Hallen_" from _Die Zauberflöte_












Very nice Mary


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

sospiro said:


> Last week I saw a performance of _Attila_ by Finnish bass Mika Kares. I'd not heard of him before & was very impressed.


Thank you for this Annie. It is easy to see why you were so impressed by him. Also thank for the intereesting Blog about him. At only 33 there is plenty of time for an outstanding career. So many outstanding Basses came from Finland; it must be something in the air so close to Russia.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

MAuer said:


> Another of my favorites: the Italian bass Giorgio Tadeo, a noted Mozart interpreter in the '60s and '70s. Here he sings Sarastro's aria, "_In diesen heil'gen Hallen_" from _Die Zauberflöte_


Two great new Bass discoveries in one day. I cannot believe I had never heard of Tadeo before. Thanks for posting it.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Another Bass voice which is not too well known. Although he has appeared with Scottish Opera his career has been mostly in the US. This is taken from a recital disc he recorded fairly recently.






About 10 years ago he maade a recording of Paul Robeson's songs. I love his rendition of this one.


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

GoneBaroque said:


> Another Bass voice which is not too well known. Although he has appeared with Scottish Opera his career has been mostly in the US. This is taken from a recital disc he recorded fairly recently.


This is fabulous (I currently have a Boris obsession). Do you have a link to the CD?


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

From the old ones, Mihály Székely is my favourite.






From the currently active ones: Salminen, Clive Bayley, Tomlinson, Peter Rose, Halfvarson, Furlanetto and Pape.


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

Székely is a new name and voice but he is a great find. I presume he is not well known outside of Hungary which is unfortunate. He makes a commanding Sarastro and posesses a beautiful voice. I also like your current list although I do not know Clive Bayley. Will have to look into him. Halfvarson I think is a tremendous Grand Inquisitor on Don Carlos. Thank you for posting this video.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

I like *Raffaele Arié*, though not Russian, but he could handle Russian operas very good :










www.youtube.com/watch?v=kkqVyMsa5Cw

www.youtube.com/watch?v=l2TOcctkYNw


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Chaliapin's contemporary *Lev Sibryakov* is almost forgotten today. He made a few recordings, in some cases even better than Chaliapin :

Méphistophélès Le veau d'or :

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j5RFdbrRcOc


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## MAuer (Feb 6, 2011)

Sieglinde said:


> From the old ones, Mihály Székely is my favourite.


I think the two arias Mozart wrote for Sarastro are among the most beautiful in the bass repertoire. :clap:


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## GoneBaroque (Jun 16, 2011)

*Jerome hines in memorium*

On 4 February 2003 The voice of the American Bass Jerome Hines was stilled. On September 22, 2001 he gave his final operatic appearance when at the age of 80 he performed his noted role of The Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's Don Carlo in concert for the Boston Bel Canto Opera.






One of his students Craig Hart sang the part of King Philip


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## sospiro (Apr 3, 2010)

GoneBaroque said:


> On 4 February 2003 The voice of the American Bass Jerome Hines was stilled. On September 22, 2001 he gave his final operatic appearance when at the age of 80 he performed his noted role of The Grand Inquisitor in Verdi's Don Carlo in concert for the Boston Bel Canto Opera.
> 
> One of his students Craig Hart sang the part of King Philip


Oh my goodness! His voice would be superb for a man half is age & fantastic that he could continue his career for so long.


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## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

I like Nicolai Ghiaurov, Samuel Ramey and Paata Burchuladze.


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Desiree said:


> I like *Nicolai Ghiaurov*, Samuel Ramey and Paata Burchuladze.


Nicolai Ghiaurov and most of the Bulgarian Bassos ! Oh, yes ! :tiphat:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qbjl_3u6B78


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## Desiree (Feb 11, 2012)

Il_Penseroso said:


> Nicolai Ghiaurov and most of the Bulgarian Bassos ! Oh, yes ! :tiphat: [/url]


Yes! I'm always very fascinated with Bulgaria! What is it in their water that they are able to churn out these wonderful voices?! Shout outs to Christoff, Ghiaurov, Ghiuselev, Petkov and... Madame Dimitrova! (who can perhaps sing bass on a crazy day!).


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

Should I include bass-baritones in this list? I suppose I will:

1. Nicolai Ghiaurov
2. Samuel Ramey
Beyond that, it's difficult to put them in order, so I'll just list some names (the first three are definitely bass-baritones): Alessandro Corbelli, Bryn Terfel, Simone Alberghini, Bonaldo Giaotti, Paul Plishka, Ferruccio Furlanetto, Robert Lloyd


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

moody said:


> These are the basses considered the greatest although I am sure some people will feel their favourites have been left out' But there are not many who could really be desribed as great.
> Pol Plancon 1854-1914. France. "One of the greatest masters of vocal technique that ever trod the stage. What a golden age singer should be, he was."
> 
> Feodor Chaliapin 1873-1938. Russia. The great singing actor in opera and song. he was not a cavernous bass and his voice veered towards bass-baritone.
> ...


This is a pretty good list. I will mention also Nazzareno De Angelis, an amazing, powerful voice, but also flexible.


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## Jobis (Jun 13, 2013)

For I while I was obssessed with the Oktavists, the basso-profondo voice.

Vladimir Miller is a great example. Incredibly impressive range, in one recording he goes down to a G1!


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## Hoffmann (Jun 10, 2013)

One of the older singers, George London, had a distinctive voice and was well-regarded.


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## SalieriIsInnocent (Feb 28, 2008)

I never bothered to give Ruggero Raimondi, until I heard him sing this:





To list my favorite basses is a tough one, but I'll attempt it. Ferruccio Furlanetto, Cesare Siepi, Kurt Moll, Samuel Ramey, John Tomlinson, Ruggero Raimondi, Martti Talvela, Williard White, Richard Stilwell


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## HumphreyAppleby (Apr 11, 2013)

Paul Robeson. He didn't really have much of a career in opera, but he certainly could have- he sang a few arias, and recorded fewer. Still, what there is of him is so good that he's my favorite. I think he's the best bass of all time- gorgeous voice and great technique. (He was also a polymath, and could act, sing, speak over ten languages, and he's in the college football hall of fame, he graduated from Rutgers as valedictorian and Phi Beta Kappa, had a law degree from Columbia, and was a leading civil rights activist.) During the Spanish civil war, both sides ceased fighting temporarily to hear him sing, so the story goes.
















As for basses who were opera stars, I like Samuel Ramey, Nicolai Ghiuarov, and Ruggero Raimondi.


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## SiegendesLicht (Mar 4, 2012)

*Hans Sotin*, especially in his role as Gurnemanz in _Parsifal_.






He looks impressive in that role too - so handsome and dignified.


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## TrevBus (Jun 6, 2013)

Desiree said:


> I like Nicolai Ghiaurov, Samuel Ramey and Paata Burchuladze.


Nicolai Ghiaurov is my favorite. IMHO, the greatest.


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## Revenant (Aug 27, 2013)

1. Ezio Pinza
2. Fyodor Chaliapin
3. Samuel Ramey
4. Alexander Kipnis
5. Boris Christoff
6. Nicolai Ghiaurov
7. Cesare Siepi


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

I see Mauer has the Welsh bass Gwynne Howell on her list, and I should have put him on mine as well. He was one of those consistently outstanding lesser-known opera singers and had a lovely, smooth, and warm voice. His recording of "And the Trumpet Shall Sound" from _Messiah_ is probably my favorite next to the classic Samuel Ramey version. That he was also an effective actor is clear if you watch, say, the Covent Garden DVDs of _Les Contes d'Hoffmann _and _La Boheme_ from the early 1980's.


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## sabrina (Apr 26, 2011)

Ferruccio Furlanetto (born 16 May 1949 in Sacile, Italy) was mentioned before. He is the best Don Basilio I have on DVD, great singing and acting.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

I just remembered a bass I heard multiple times live, but there is very little to be found with him online, Walter Fink:






Seen him as Fafner/Hunding about a decade ago (and he pulled that one on 3 consecutive days) and later as Sarastro. Incredibly powerful. He's a returning guest in the Budapest Wagner Days since its opening.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

Benjamin Appl - Erlkönig - Schubert (Gramophone Classical Music Awards 2016)

For the lieder : Benjamin Appl


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## IgorS (Jan 7, 2018)

Benjamin Appl? Doesn't sound lile a bass. Actually doesn't sound at all. This piano maybe to strong for his voice.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

IgorS said:


> Benjamin Appl? Doesn't sound lile a bass. Actually doesn't sound at all. This piano maybe to strong for his voice.


You are right he's a baritone.
( senior moment)


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## Chiled (Apr 11, 2020)

What about Cesare Siepi? I find him to be the best of all of the basses I have recordings of - Kurt Moll excepted. Kurt Moll is divine in more than a dozen recordings I have. He had the range and technique to sing anything.


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## nina foresti (Mar 11, 2014)

Cesare Siepi is my favorite too
Close 2nd: Ezio Pinza


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## vivalagentenuova (Jun 11, 2019)

Mark Reizen is a very underrated bass. Outstanding singer who could sing well into his 80s!


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## The Conte (May 31, 2015)

vivalagentenuova said:


> Mark Reizen is a very underrated bass. Outstanding singer who could sing well into his 80s!


Yes, Reizen is one of my favourites. Kipnis was good too. I also like Pinza for a lighter bass voice. Those three would probably be my favourites.

Christoff would probably be my pick for post second world war bass and Ghiaurov and Ramey had their moments.

Another bass that everyone should know is Pol Plancon who was possibly the greatest francophone bass of all time.

N.


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## Sieglinde (Oct 25, 2009)

Two excellent basses here, Morris Robinson and Eric Owens (who was also a great Alberich at the Met - would love to see Robinson as Hagen against his Alberich!).


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## aussiebushman (Apr 21, 2018)

Wonderful links to the finest basses have been offered here - no argument from me. I note however, the absence of Ivar Andresen. He had a major alcohol problem and died quite young


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## Bonetan (Dec 22, 2016)

moody said:


> Pol Plancon 1854-1914. France. "One of the greatest masters of vocal technique that ever trod the stage. What a golden age singer should be, he was."





The Conte said:


> Another bass that everyone should know is Pol Plancon who was possibly the greatest francophone bass of all time.


Pol Plancon, the GOAT. Effortless singing...


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## VitellioScarpia (Aug 27, 2017)

The Conte said:


> Yes, Reizen is one of my favourites. Kipnis was good too. I also like Pinza for a lighter bass voice. Those three would probably be my favourites.
> 
> Christoff would probably be my pick for post second world war bass and Ghiaurov and Ramey had their moments.
> 
> ...


Pinza is probably my overall favorite from Don Giovanni to Padre Guardiano and the Verdi Requiem -- who could sing _Oro suppler et acclinis_ like him?


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## Autumn Leaves (Jan 3, 2014)

Among the rising (or should it already be "newly risen"?) stars, I think I should mention Adam Plachetka (a bass-baritone, but I see bass-baritones are also included in this thread).






I saw him live in _L'elisir d'amore_ as Dulcamara (unfortunately, I couldn't find his arias from the performance as separate videos):


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## silentio (Nov 10, 2014)

vivalagentenuova said:


> Mark Reizen is a very underrated bass. Outstanding singer who could sing well into his 80s!


His Boris Godunov is my favorite.


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## wkasimer (Jun 5, 2017)

vivalagentenuova said:


> Mark Reizen is a very underrated bass. Outstanding singer who could sing well into his 80s!


Even less known is the great Boris Gmyrya:


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

moody said:


> These are the basses considered the greatest although I am sure some people will feel their favourites have been left out' But there are not many who could really be desribed as great.
> Pol Plancon 1854-1914. France. "One of the greatest masters of vocal technique that ever trod the stage. What a golden age singer should be, he was."
> 
> Feodor Chaliapin 1873-1938. Russia. The great singing actor in opera and song. he was not a cavernous bass and his voice veered towards bass-baritone.
> ...


Tancredi Pasermo is wonderful. Never heard before. I love his vibrato.


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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

Desiree said:


> Yes! I'm always very fascinated with Bulgaria! What is it in their water that they are able to churn out these wonderful voices?! Shout outs to Christoff, Ghiaurov, Ghiuselev, Petkov and... Madame Dimitrova! (who can perhaps sing bass on a crazy day!).






 Have you heard The Mysterious Voices of Bulgaria.... folk songs. Amazing harmonies. There was also a very great Bulgarian mezzo/ contralto... can't think of her name.


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## Donna Elvira (Nov 12, 2017)

Just of the top of my head I also thought Caesar Siepi.
Then, I think of Nicolai Ghiaurov, and my parents favorite, Ezio Pinza both great.
But the thread was titled "Operatic Basses of Past and Present"
Well, how do you compare many of the great artists mentioned already in this thread to those of the present day but if you had to try, of course on a different tier, one could mention Carlo Colombara and Erwin Schrott.


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