Mighty baritone voice, globetrotting representative of Welsh culture, knight of the realm and, shortly, TV talent show judge. There are many strings to Bryn Terfel’s bow and there’ll be many strings onstage with him when he fronts an orchestral Christmas concert in Swansea. Colin Palmer spoke to him about this and that.
Bryn Terfel on Christmas…
My Christmases have always been judged by where I was in the world, singing. Sometimes I’ve been in New York, sometimes Berlin, the last two I’ve been in Zurich. Christmas this year will be at home, New Year in New York – the kids will come there for two and a half weeks. My youngest, Alfie, is four years old, my eldest 30. The house is always full of decorations and one very naughty elf named Morfydd, which seems to take the children’s imagination. Every morning, they try and find the elf.
Bryn Terfel on this concert’s location…
Swansea has such significance in my career because I started singing with the Dunvant Male Choir. I’ve done concerts and recordings in the Brangwyn Hall, so I’ll be crossing the street and going over to the Arena for my Christmas concert. Obviously I’ll have some Welsh carols, and some opera arias. Deck The Halls, Hark The Herald, Joy To The World, White Christmas, Ave Maria… I want to also try and find some songs from the plygain element of Wales – these very old, beautiful, kind of melancholic Christmas songs.
Bryn Terfel on its special guests…
Pumeza Matshikiza, a South African singer, is going to sing He’s Got The Whole World In His Hands, O Holy Night and O Mio Babbino Caro, from Puccini’s Gianni Schicchi. I’ve got the Welsh National Opera Orchestra, with Paul Bateman conducting, and hopefully my wife will join me and play something on the harp as well. She’s from Swansea – a good Treboeth girl.
Bryn Terfel on working from home…
In this music room of mine at home in Penarth, where I’m sat at the moment, is where I prepare for everything. I built the music room at the end of the garden – in these very old Victorian houses, there’s room for your lifestyle. I’ve never been one to be singing in the house – you could be wanting to go and learn a song at 10pm. Is it soundproofed? No, no, people can hear me half the world away! They get a free concert…
Bryn Terfel on languages…
The Welsh language, I think, is very important in giving a strong foundation to sing it. My family on both sides all love to sing; my father has one of the most beautiful bass baritone voices, but never sang solo. He likes to sing in a choir. I’m proficient in Italian and German, but Welsh is my preferred language because that’s where all the emotions come flooding through my performance. I’ve sang at La Scala in Milan – probably the Everest of one’s opera singing career – in Italian, which I was very happy I had accomplished. Yet I did have 90 Welsh people in that audience who travelled from Wales to support me. So I was singing for them as well.
Bryn Terfel on royal appointment…
There are certain moments in your career that are incredibly intense. For the coronation of King Charles, I was singing for one minute and 40 seconds: a beautiful piece written by Paul Mealor, a composer from north Wales. To do that being listened to by billions of people was quite the engagement.
Bryn Terfel on television…
I’m one of the judges on S4C’s Y Llais – The Voice in Welsh. I’m really looking forward to working with Bronwyn Lewis, Aleghcia Scott and Yws Gwynedd – we’re the four adjudicators, whittling a list of I think 40 singers down to a handful in the final. This program has been in nearly 80 countries – finally, Wales has it! We’ve got three different sessions, and they start airing them in February.
Bryn Terfel on the future…
If I can carry on singing to a standard I’m happy with, I’m here. If not, then I hang up my boots straight away.
Bryn’s Christmas, Swansea Arena, Tue 17 Dec.
Tickets: from £44.72. Info: here
words COLIN PALMER
