Albert ehrnrooth

Journalist & Cultural Commentator

Bryn Terfel Podcast

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mp3 – 19:49

Does the bass-baritone Sir Bryn Terfel need any introduction? Probably not. He’s one of Britain’s most famous living and working opera singers. The whole world watched Sir Bryn perform a Welsh composition at the Coronation of King Charles III in May 2023 and the subsequent Coronation Concert in the grounds of Windsor Castle Over the last 35 years Bryn has been an imposing presence in grand concert halls and on the world’s most famous opera stages.

In this interview Bryn recollects how his German vocal teacher Rudolf Piernay installed a love of German Lieder, but also made him aware of the discipline required to be a professional singer. Starting off in smaller, but no less difficult Mozart roles, he progressed fairly quickly to the title and meatier roles in Don Giovanni, Bluebeard, Otello, Bluebeard, Fallstaff, Wotan in Das Rheingold and Die Walküre. Yes, Bryn Terfel has, partly thanks to his physique, become the casting directors’ favourite for the ‘bad boy’ characters.

Bryn explains why it’s important to latch on to the Mozart roles early on in your career. He names his favourite productions that he’s appeared in and some rare disappointments in his distinguished career.

Bryn Terfel is about to repeat his forceful interpretation of the corrupt chief of police Scarpia in Puccini’s Tosca at Royal Opera House Covent Garden and in 2025 at the Met in New York. Despite having sang the role well over 100 times he still wants to better himself. And what better way than to watch and study the great Tito Gobbi in the role?

Bryn Terfel is the voice of Wales, literally. Net year he will be part of the judging panel for the Welsh language version of the tv-programme The Voice.

Link to my review of Tosca

 

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