Bryn Terfel on wine, Wagner and song
egy ismeretlen terfel rajongóngó réges régi beírására:
Are there any operas or musicals you’d definitely not want to perform?
No more new Wagner operas. Sorry Parsifal. Sorry Tristan.
Musicals? hmm... interesting... none come to mind.
It’s been some years now since we lost the great maestro Claudio Abbado.
He said that he always enjoyed working with you. What was it like to collaborate with the great man?
I had 8 glorious years with Abbado and the Berlin Philharmonic in various concerts - Christmas, oratorios, opera etc etc. These are the cherished years of singing. Making music with Claudio was something special will stay with me for the rest of my career. He always conducted score-less and I posed the question to him 'do you have a photographic memory?' He answered No, but in a sense the music came alive and flowed from the score. He never missed a note, a dynamic, a breath and was undoubtedly a singer's maestro.
Who’s the best duet partner, Renee Fleming or Charlotte Church?
I love them both. And most probably the two of them started singing because of the same reasons.
My favourite moment in Falstaff - and pretty much in any opera - is the final Fugue. It’s just so glorious! What are your favourites?
The ending of Walküre. The last time Wotan will see his favourite daughter. The Abschied of course comes at the end of five hours of glorious music and takes every ounce of strength and emotion out of you.
Outside opera, what is your life in music like? What do you listen to in the car with the kids? Singing in the shower; Meatloaf or Wagner? Live music - for whom would you cross a continent to watch? And is there any sort of music you actively dislike?
Friday night, before the opening of the Royal Opera House's Falstaff, I took my youngest son Deio and my fiancee Hannah to see Roger Waters (Pink Floyd) at Hyde Park. I had recorded Roger's Ca Ira and was given the VIP treatment by this iconic clever and brilliant rock star. My brother and I loved Pink Floyd and I introduced my 17-year-old son to their music which will now be played in his car. I loved Queen, Dire Straits, Elvis Presley and still do.
And, No, there's no music i actively dislike!
((((( biztos vagyok benne, hogy tristantól és parsifaltól el tudott szakadni, de a debouchery mindörökre elkíséri:
DEBAUCHERY Impressions Of Blood (live)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OQCCNHXv2yY )))
Do you prefer singing comic roles (like Dulcamara in L’Elisir), or more serious ones?
I have no preference. Obviously a comic role gives you the opportunity to perform in operas that could be perceived to be more approachable. But I have to emphasise that any production we are put into you have to be faithful to the original director's vision. For instance, I'm doing the Royal Opera House Falstaff at the moment. Originally, I sang this production in Milan at La Scala. The original singer - Ambrogio Maestri - sang the first six performances and I took on the baton for the last five. I went to hear him twice to see exactly what he did and in a sense I copied all his movements, gestures and geography. For me, Falstaff is never about hamming it up, it's all about being true to t he director's vision and to the glorious score that Verdi wrote. Every movement, every gesture is in that score and you'd be a fool to ignore it. So, in answer to your question, I take every opera in the same spirit, be it comic or serious. The element of creating a role when you're in a new production is somewhat different as you rely on the director's vision firsthand and from the horse's mouth.(!!!!!!!!!!!!!)
What’s the most challenging opera to perform, how do you prepare to do it, and how do you feel afterwards?
I think it will be Berg's Wozzeck when I finally decide, some day, to pick up the score and learn it. I was offered it in the early 90s with Abbado and Peter STein in Salzburg, but had to cancel as I hadn't started early enough to learn the piece. That was a big learning curve for me personally as I was so disappointed in myself. What a missed opportunity. But learning Arabella and performing Rake's Progress was not conducive to preparing for such an iconic piece. In the end, I think I made the right decision.
wozzeckwozzeckwozzecklulululu
I started my journey in opera placing cassette tapes into a cassette player on a Massey Ferguson tractor on the farm in North Wales. The baritone was Hôkan Hâggegard from Sweden. I was curious why i wasn't reaching the high notes that he was singing in all the arias. Obviously three years later I discovered i was a lazy baritone (bass baritone) !
But this was certainly the way I learnt about opera singers and singing. Five years later, having finished at the Guildhall School of music and drama, I had certainly caught up in my studies to embark on a professional career.
Opera';s not difficult. It's a language that is approachable with homework and dedication. The best gateway drug? listen to as many recordings as you can, of past and present singers. Work on the discography, and have a nice glass of claret next to you on the table.
(sörök, borok, konyakok, zsúfolásig tömött hamutartók - bartók rádió)
When will you revive your wonderful role in Meistersinger. Why did you turn the Met in New York down. You were wonderful in the Welsh production.
The Welsh National Opera production by RIchard Jones was indeed a highlight of my career and singing Hans Sachs in the world's greatest opera house - Covent Garden was a dream come true. By any yardstick, the longest role ever written for the bass baritone voice. As for singing it in New York at the Met - i was never offered a contract to sing this in NY . But they had the magnificent JAmes Morris for a decade in this role. Maybe my Sachs days are over and the boots will be hung up with a smile on my face.
((( ó azok a csizmák - Nancy Sinatra - These Boots Are Made for Walkin'
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SbyAZQ45uww )))
I have your wonderful recording of Salome conducted by Sinopoli. Any plans to sing more Strauss?
Interesting nugget of information about this recording: I recorded it in a church in Berlin without any other singers or orchestra or conductor as the original John the Baptist had fallen ill during the recording sessions. I learnt it in a week and i think Deutsche Grammophon and their amazing producers did a great job.
I would love to sing more Mandryka in Arabella but time is of the essence. I would say that all the other roles are too low in the voice.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bG6p8bLdaQU
Wagner - Bryn Terfel Magic Fire Music (Die Walkure 2011)
