Ageless

Russian bass Mark Reizen (1895-1992) sings Gremin´s aria (Eugene Onegin) for his 90th birthday in 1985 at the Bolshoi:

The following anecdote is from OperaGems:

In 1930, Reizen (from Leningrad) visited the Bolshoi Theatre of Moscow. Mark Reizen was Méphistophéles and during the the intermission he, dressed as the Devil, was introduced to Stalin.

The dialogue went something like this:

Stalin: You sing very well.
Reizen: Thank you.
S: Why don't you come here more often?
R: You see, I sing in Leningrad and only visit here.
S: Why not move here and visit there?
R: You see, I have a contract there, and an apartment too…
S: Perhaps we can do something and find you an apartment here.

The following day and in typical Soviet style, he was surprised by the unannounced visit of an official car with a soldier, who was under orders to take him hunting apartments. This is how Mark Reizen was engaged at the Bolshoi.

Video courtesy of Arclog66 on YouTube