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Bryn Terfel

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Bryn Terfel
Terfel inStockholm,December 2013
Born
Bryn Terfel Jones

(1965-11-09)9 November 1965(age 58)
NationalityWelsh
EducationGuildhall School of Music and Drama
OccupationOpera singer (bass-baritone)
Years active1984−present
Spouses
  • Lesley Jones
    (m.1987;div.2013)
  • (m.2019)
Children4

SirBryn Terfel Jones,CBE(Welsh pronunciation:[ˈbrɨnˈtɛrvɛl];born 9 November 1965; known professionally asBryn Terfel), is a Welshbass-baritoneopera and concert singer. Terfel was initially primarily associated with the roles ofMozart,particularlyFigaro,LeporelloandDon Giovanni,and has subsequently shifted his attention to heavier roles, especially those byPucciniandWagner.[1]

Biography

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Bryn Terfel Jones was born inPant Glas,Caernarfonshire,Wales, the son of a farmer. His first language isWelsh.[2]To avoid confusion with another Welsh baritone,Delme Bryn-Jones,he chose Bryn Terfel as his professional name. He had an interest in and talent for music from a very young age. A family friend taught him how to sing, starting with traditional Welsh songs.

After winning numerous competitions for his singing, he moved to London in 1984 and entered theGuildhall School of Music and Dramawhere he studied underRudolf Piernay.In 1988 he entered and won theMorriston Orpheus ChoirSupporters' Association Young Welsh Singer of the Year Competition.[3]He graduated in 1989, winning both theKathleen FerrierMemorial Award and theGold Medal.The same year he came second behindDmitri Hvorostovskyin theCardiff Singer of the Worldcompetition, but won theLiederPrize.[4]

Career

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1990s

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In 1990 Terfel made his operatic debut as Guglielmo inCosì fan tutte[5]forWelsh National Opera,and later in the same season he sang the title role inThe Marriage of Figaro,a role with which he made his debut withEnglish National Operain 1991.

His international operatic career began that same year when he sang the Speaker inMozart'sThe Magic Fluteat theThéâtre de la Monnaiein Brussels and he made his United States debut as Figaro at theSanta Fe Opera.

In 1992 Terfel made hisRoyal Opera House, Covent Gardendebut as Masetto inDon Giovanni,withThomas Allenin the title role. That same year he made hisSalzburg Easter Festivaldebut singing the role of the Spirit Messenger inDie Frau ohne Schatten.This was followed by an international breakthrough at the main Salzburg Festival when he sang Jochanaan inStrauss'sSalome.He went on to make his debut as Figaro at theVienna State Opera.

On 19 June 1992 Terfel made his U.S. concert debut singing inMahler'sEighth Symphonywith theChicago Symphony Orchestraat theRavinia Festivalunder the baton ofJames Levine.Also at the festival, on 22 June, he and Levine (at the piano) performedSchumann'sLiederkreis(op. 39) andSchubert'sSchwanengesang,and on 27 June he was Abimélech inSaint-Saëns'sSamson and Delilah(withPlácido DomingoandDenyce Gravesin the title roles), also with the CSO under Levine. In January and February 1993, Terfel sang the role of Donner inWagner'sDas RheingoldatLyric Opera of Chicago;Zubin Mehtaconducted.

Also in 1992, he signed an exclusiverecording contractwithDeutsche Grammophon,and returned to the Welsh National Opera to sing Ford inFalstaff.In 1993, he recorded the role of Wilfred Shadbolt inThe Yeomen of the Guard,byGilbert and Sullivanand sang Figaro to acclaim at theThéâtre du Châteletin Paris.[6]

External audio
audio iconTerfel may be heard as Jochanaan, inRichard Strauss' operaSalome,Op. 54,with theVienna PhilharmonicOrchestra conducted byChristoph von Dohnányi,and withCatherine Malfitano,in 1995Here on archive.org

In 1994 Terfel sang Figaro at Covent Garden, and made both hisMetropolitan OperaandTeatro Nacional de São Carlosdebuts in the same role. However, back surgery in 1994 (and again in 2000) prevented him from performing in several scheduled events.

In 1996 he expanded his repertoire to include moreWagner,singing Wolfram inTannhäuserat the Metropolitan Opera, andStravinsky,singing Nick Shadow inThe Rake's Progressat the Welsh National Opera. These performances won him theRoyal Philharmonic SocietyAward for the singer of the year.

In 1997 Terfel made hisLa Scaladebut as Figaro. In 1998, he had a recital atCarnegie Hallwhich included works byWolf,Fauré,Brahms,Schumann,Schubert,and others. In 1999, he performed in Paris the title role ofDon Giovannifor the first time and sang his firstFalstaffat theLyric Opera of Chicago;the latter of which he reprised in the inaugural production at the newly refurbished Royal Opera House.

In 1999 Terfel performed theRugby World Cupanthem "World in Union"withShirley Basseyat theMillennium Stadiumbefore the1999 Rugby World Cup Final.

2000s

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In 2000 Terfel said that he would like to record "an album ofGilbert and Sullivanarias ".[7][8]

In 2003, Terfel hosted and performed on the stage with opera tenorJosé Carrerasand sopranoHayley Westenrain front of the capacity crowd of 10,000 people at theFaenol Festivalin Wales.[9][10]

In 2007 Terfel performed at the opening gala concert for the re-dedication of theSalt Lake Tabernaclewith theMormon Tabernacle Choiron 6–7 April. Later, he performed the title role in a concert version ofSweeney Toddthat had four performances from 5–7 July at London'sRoyal Festival Hall.This idea came from Terfel and his fellow bass-baritone and friend, the Irishman Dermot Malone.[11]

Terfel has not shied away from popular music either. He has recorded CDs of songs byLerner and LoeweandRodgers and Hammerstein.In 2001 he commissioned and performed 'Atgof o'r Sêr' ('Memory of the Stars') in the National Eisteddfod with the composer Robat Arwyn.

In September 2007 Terfel withdrew, to severe criticism, from Covent Garden'sDer Ring des Nibelungenwhen his six-year-old son required several operations on his finger. But he successfully returned to the Met in November 2007 to sing the role of Figaro. He told reporters in New York City that he would retire Figaro from his repertoire. But he sang the role ofWotanin Covent Garden's revival ofDer Ringin September to November 2012.

Terfel intended to take 2008 as a sabbatical from opera performances, but broke this to take the title role in WNO's revival ofFalstaff.He had sung in this production in 1993, when he played the role of Ford.[12]In 2009 Terfel sangScarpiaandthe Dutchmanfor the Royal Opera House.[13][14]

Since 2010

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In 2010, Terfel made his debut asHans Sachsin Wagner'sDie Meistersingerin a production forWelsh National Opera,in Cardiff and on tour.

On 17 July 2010, the cast of this production gave a "concert staging" at theRoyal Albert Hallas part of the 2010BBC Proms,which was broadcast onBBC Radio 3and onBBC Fourtelevision.[15]On 31 July, again at the Proms, he performed in a concert from the Royal Albert Hall celebrating the works ofStephen Sondheim,in his 80th birthday year.[16]

Terfel took on the role of Wotan for the premiere performances ofRobert Lepage's new Met staging of Wagner'sDer Ring2010–12. He sang the role in all three of the fourDer Ringoperas that feature Wotan:Das Rheingold,Die WalküreandSiegfried.[17]

In September 2013 Terfel collaborated withMormon Tabernacle Choirreleased the albumHomeward Bound[18]which reached No. 58 Official UK Charts.

In September 2014 Terfel reprised his role asSweeney Toddin the Live from Lincoln Center concert production ofSweeney Todd,which was broadcast onPBS.This production also starredEmma ThompsonasMrs Lovett,Philip QuastasJudge Turpin,andAudra McDonaldasThe Beggar Woman.[19]Terfel, Thompson, and Quest reprised their roles in 2015 with theEnglish National OperaoppositeJohn Owen-JonesandKatie Hallas Pirelli and Johanna at theLondon Coliseum.[20]

In 2016 Terfel took the title role in Mussorgsky'sBoris Godunov,directed byAntonio Pappanoat theRoyal Opera House.[21][22]

On 6 May 2023 Terfel performed a setting in Welsh, byPaul Mealor,ofKyrie eleisonat theCoronation of Charles III and CamillainWestminster Abbey.This was the first time Welsh had been sung at a coronation service.[23][24][25]On 7 May he sang "You'll Never Walk Alone",in a duet withAndrea Bocelli,at theCoronation ConcertatWindsor Castle.[26]

In February 2024 Terfel released a new album,Sea Songs,onDeutsche Grammophon.

Personal life

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Terfel was married to his childhood sweetheart, Lesley, in 1987 until their divorce in 2013. [27][28]The couple have three sons.[29]

In 2017 he and harpistHannah Stonehad a daughter.[30]The couple married on 26 July 2019 at Caersalem Newydd Baptist Church in the bride's home city of Swansea.[31]

Terfel was a leading petitioner in the creation ofBontnewydd railway stationon the rebuiltWelsh Highland Railway,and in part sponsored its construction.[32]

Partial solo discography

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  • Bryn Terfel – Volume I(1988)
  • Bryn Terfel – Volume II(1990)
  • The Vagabond and Other Songs by Vaughan Williams, Butterworth, Finzi and Ireland(1995)
  • Something Wonderful(1996)
  • Handel Arias(1997)[33]
  • We'll Keep a Welcome(2000)
  • Some Enchanted Evening(2001)
  • Under the Stars(2003), withRenée Fleming
  • Bryn(2003)
  • Simple Gifts(2005)
  • Tutto Mozart!(2006)
  • First Love(2008), songs from the British Isles
  • Carols and Christmas Songs(2010)
  • Homeward Bound(2013), with theMormon Tabernacle Choir
  • Dreams and Songs(2018)
  • Sea Songs(2024)

Welsh albums

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Videography

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Honours and awards

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Terfel continues to be a patron of the Welsh language and Welsh culture, facets of his life which are largely unknown outside his native Wales. Terfel has been awarded the honour, by theNational Eisteddfod,of membership of theGorsedd of Bards.The Gorsedd was created in 1792 as a celebration of Welsh heritage, and inductees are considered to have contributed to Welsh culture.

In 2006 theHamburg-basedAlfred Toepfer Foundationawarded Terfel its annualShakespeare Prizein recognition of his life's work.

Terfel wasknightedin the2017 New Year Honoursfor services to music.[38]

Year Award Category Result
2000 Classic Brit Awards Male Artist of the Year Won
2004 Won
Album of the Year (Bryn) Won
2005 Male Artist of the Year Won
2007 Singer of the Year Nominated
Critic's Choice Nominated
2010 Male Artist of the Year Nominated
2011 Album of the Year (Carols & Christmas Songs) Nominated
2013 Grammy Awards Best Opera Recording(Metropolitan Opera's recording ofRichard Wagner'sDer Ring des Nibelungen)[39] Won

Terfel is also president of the Welsh homelessness charityShelter Cymruand is patron of Bobath Children's Therapy Centre Wales, a registered charity based in Cardiff which provides specialistBobath therapyto children from all over Wales who havecerebral palsy.

Terfel is a vice president of theDunvant Male Choirin Swansea, the oldest continuously singing Welsh choir, dating from 1895.[40][41]The choir sang at Terfel's wedding in 2019.[42]

Faenol Festival

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In 2000 Terfel founded the Faenol Festival (known inWelshas "Gŵyl y Faenol" ), at theFaenol EstatenearSnowdonia,Wales. Billed as "Bryn Terfel'sFaenol Festival"(often referred to as" BrynFest ") turned into an annual music festival featuring internationally famous opera singers as well as popular Welsh artists. In the same year he releasedWe'll Keep a Welcome – The Welsh Album,an anthology of favourite traditional songs. The festival had been voted a £250,000 grant by theWelsh Assembly,but did not take place in 2009 or 2010 and ended as of 2010.[43]Subsequently, the 2012 Faenol Festival took place in London.[44][45]

Operatic repertoire

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Terfel has performed the following roles on stage:[46]

Composer Opera Role In repertoire Recorded
Britten Peter Grimes Balstrode 1995 No
Canepa Riccardo III Riccardo III 2018
Donizetti L'elisir d'amore Dulcamara 2001 Yes (DVD)
Donizetti Don Pasquale Don Pasquale 2019
Gounod Faust Mephistopheles 2004 Yes (DVD)
Mozart Così fan tutte Guglielmo 1991 No
Mozart Don Giovanni Masetto 1992 Yes
Mozart Don Giovanni Leporello 1991–present Yes
Mozart Don Giovanni Don Giovanni 1999–present Yes (DVD)
Mozart Die Zauberflöte Speaker 1991 No
Mozart Le nozze di Figaro Figaro 1991–2007 Yes (DVD)
Mussorgsky Boris Godunov Boris Godunov 2016
Offenbach Les contes d'Hoffmann Four Villains 2000 Yes (DVD)
Puccini Gianni Schicchi Gianni Schicchi 2007 No
Puccini Tosca Scarpia Yes
Puccini Madama Butterfly Sharpless 1996 No
R. Strauss Die Frau ohne Schatten Der Geisterbote 1992 Yes
R. Strauss Salome Jochanaan 1993 Yes
Sondheim Sweeney Todd Sweeney Todd 2002–present Yes:Live From Lincoln Center
Stravinsky The Rake's Progress Nick Shadow 1996–2000 Yes
Stravinsky Oedipus Rex Creon 1992 Yes
Verdi Falstaff Falstaff 1999–present Yes
Verdi Falstaff Ford 1993 Yes
Wagner Das Rheingold Donner 1993 No
Wagner Das Rheingold Wotan 2005–present Yes (DVD and Blu-ray)
Wagner Die Walküre Wotan 2005–present Yes (DVD and Blu-ray)
Wagner Siegfried The Wanderer 2011–present Yes (DVD and Blu-ray)
Wagner Tannhäuser Wolfram 1998 No
Wagner Der fliegende Holländer Holländer 2006–present Yes (DVD and Blu-ray)
Wagner Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg Hans Sachs 2010 Concert staging ofWelsh National Operaproduction broadcast byBBC Radio 3andBBC Fourtelevision as part ofBBC Proms

See also

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References

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  1. ^"Bryn Terfel".Decca Records.Archived fromthe originalon 16 August 2011.Retrieved18 February2012.
  2. ^The NPR Interviews.Houghton Mifflin Company. 1996. p.219.ISBN9780395783238.
  3. ^"MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year Competition".morristonorpheus.com.Retrieved27 January2021.
  4. ^"Bryn Terfel".classicfm.co.uk.Retrieved12 February2012.
  5. ^Nigel Simeone; John Tyrrell (2015).Charles Mackerras.Boydell & Brewer Ltd. p. 98.ISBN978-1-84383-966-8.
  6. ^"The Marriner/Philips Yeomen".Archived fromthe originalon 16 December 2008.
  7. ^"Barnes & Noble.com Music – Classical Interview".Archived fromthe originalon 14 May 2007.
  8. ^[1][dead link]
  9. ^"Westenra on bbc radio".17 September 2003.Retrieved25 February2012.
  10. ^"Hayley Westenra International – That was the best festival ever in North Wales".Archive.hayley-westenra-international.com. 26 August 2003.Retrieved25 February2012.
  11. ^Gans, Andrew (13 June 2007)."Terfel, Friedman, Evans and Quast to Star in London Sweeney Todd".Playbill.com. Archived fromthe originalon 16 June 2007.Retrieved14 June2007.
  12. ^Holden, Anthony (9 March 2008)."Don't mess with Bryn".The Guardian.London.Retrieved27 April2010.
  13. ^"Opera Schedules from The Opera Critic".Archived fromthe originalon 16 December 2008.
  14. ^"Opera Schedules from The Opera Critic".Archived fromthe originalon 16 December 2008.
  15. ^"Archive/Search – Event 2010-Prom 02 of 2010 season. Held at Royal Albert Hall, London on Saturday 17 July 2010 at 4:00PM".Bbc.co.uk.Retrieved17 March2022.
  16. ^"Saturday: 31 July 2010".BBC Proms 2010 website.2010. Archived fromthe originalon 25 April 2010.Retrieved13 May2010.
  17. ^"Wagner'sDas RheingoldandDie Walküre".Metropolitan Opera website.2010.Retrieved27 November2010.
  18. ^"Bryn Terfel and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir".Thetabernaclechoir.org.p.https://www.officialcharts.com/search/albums/homeward-bound/.Archivedfrom the original on 22 August 2019.Retrieved9 September2021.
  19. ^"Sweeney ToddLive from Lincoln Center [Recap/Review] ".The Guardian Liberty Voice.2014.Retrieved27 September2014.
  20. ^Full casting and extra performance announced for Sweeney Todd starring Emma Thompson
  21. ^Maddocks, Fiona (20 March 2016)."Boris Godunov review – Bryn Terfel is superb as tsar in torment".The Guardian.Retrieved13 March2018.
  22. ^Royal Opera House (22 March 2016)."Bryn Terfel and Antonio Pappano on what makes Boris Godunov a masterpiece (The Royal Opera)".Archivedfrom the original on 22 December 2021.Retrieved13 March2018– via YouTube.
  23. ^"Sir Bryn Terfel Jones performs Coronation Kyrie with Westminster Abbey Choir".Sky News.6 May 2023.Retrieved6 May2023.
  24. ^"Buckingham Palace is pleased to announce further details of the twelve new compositions that have been written for the Coronation of Their Majesties The King and The Queen Consort at Westminster Abbey on Saturday 6th May 2023".The Royal Family.16 April 2023.Archivedfrom the original on 16 April 2023.Retrieved16 April2023.
  25. ^King Charles III coronation: Bryn Terfel sings Kyrie eleison: ABC NewsonYouTube
  26. ^Hall, Sophia Alexandra (7 May 2023)."Andrea Bocelli and Sir Bryn Terfel perform emotional 'You'll Never Walk Alone' at Coronation Concert".Classic FM.Retrieved23 May2023.
  27. ^"Bryn Terfel splits from wife".Express.11 February 2013.Retrieved27 May2019.
  28. ^Helena de Bertodano (15 August 2013)."Bryn Terfel interview: 'Being an opera singer is easy'".Telegraph.Retrieved28 October2013.
  29. ^Adam Sweeting(8 June 2012)."Hay Festival 2012: An interview with Bryn Terfel".Telegraph.Retrieved30 June2015.
  30. ^"Baby for Sir Bryn Terfel and harpist Hannah Stone".BBC.5 May 2017.Retrieved30 June2018.
  31. ^Cooper, John (26 July 2019)."Bryn Terfel marries harpist Hannah Stone in Wales on 'magical' day".Walesonline.co.uk.
  32. ^"Welsh Mountain Railway, Notes From Hidden Britain".Classic FM.Archived fromthe originalon 7 January 2016.Retrieved28 September2014.
  33. ^"Handel: Arias – Bryn Terfel, Charles Mackerras | Songs, Reviews, Credits".AllMusic.
  34. ^"MOCSA Young Welsh Singer of the Year:: Morriston Orpheus Choir".Morristonorpheus.com.
  35. ^Krebs, Lord(2008). "The Principal's Report".The Jesus College Record.Jesus College, Oxford:7.
  36. ^"Bryn Terfel awarded Bangor University honorary doctorate".BBC News.29 February 2012.
  37. ^"Wiener Staatsoper: Ehrungen auf offener BÜhne im Anschluss anPeter Grimesam 2. Februar 2022 "(in German). Vienna State Opera.Retrieved4 February2022.
  38. ^"No. 61803".The London Gazette(Supplement). 31 December 2016. p. N2.
  39. ^"55th Annual Grammy Awards Nominees: Classical".Grammy.com.Retrieved10 February2013.
  40. ^"About Us".Dunvantchoir.wales.Retrieved17 March2022.
  41. ^"Côr Meibion Dyfnant".Dunvant Male Choir.
  42. ^"Magazine 2019"(PDF).Dunvant Male Choir.p. 3.Retrieved17 March2022.
  43. ^Stuart Jeffries (26 June 2012)."Bryn Terfel: 'I'd like to sing Citizen Kane'".The Guardian.Retrieved30 June2015.
  44. ^"Bryn's Faenol Festival comes back... in London".bbc.co.uk.24 January 2012.Retrieved25 February2012.
  45. ^"Global music festival for Faenol estate in Gwynedd".BBC News.26 January 2012.Retrieved25 February2012.
  46. ^"Bryn Terfel Opera Repertoire".Harlequin Agency. 18 June 2008.Retrieved18 June2008.
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