When opera fans talk about the kinds of voices that are in short supply today - and opera lovers just love talking about such things - you can count on someone mentioning a dearth of true Verdi baritones.
But when you hear Mark Rucker sing the composer's music, the situation suddenly doesn't seem so bleak. Rucker, starring in the Baltimore Opera Company's production of Verdi's Nabucco that opens Saturday, has carved an impressive niche in this repertoire.
