Terfel

[Flosshilde]

Yes, and remember 'spending more time with my family'? All the rage amongst Thatcher cabinet ministers during 1990....before being resurrected by B.Terfel in 2007 (which is where we came in).

In some cases it was a question of which family.

[Mr Pee]

Such negativity. Why is there this need to continually knock any British artist who makes it to the top? I see exactly the same treatment meted out on these boards toward Sir Simon Rattle. It's so mean-spirited and petty it makes my blood boil.

I for one cannot wait to see Terfel in next year's Ring. I am sure he will be outstanding.

[ahinton]

Such negativity. Why is there this need to continually knock any British artist who makes it to the top? I see exactly the same treatment meted out on these boards toward Sir Simon Rattle. It's so mean-spirited and petty it makes my blood boil.

I don't think that your view here is entirely fair or appropriately directed; no one here is carping at Terfel's voice or artistry while expressing reservations about his professional conduct, so nothing that I've read in this thread is suggestive (to me, at least) of continual knocking of a "British artist who makes it to the top". Any artist, irrespective of their origins, who "makes it to the top" has professional responsibilities proportional to how near "the top" he/she has got and, if and when these are abdicated, just criticism of his/her behaviour may reasonably be expected without the critics being accused in turn of "knocking" said artist as though said artist were somehow infallible and/or beyond criticism.

[Nick Armstrong]

Why is there this need to continually knock any British artist who makes it to the top?

Small round objects, Mr Pee, otherwise known as 'balls'. That's the sort of fallacious rhetorical generalisation that ruins a discussion.

There is no 'continual knocking' of Sir Mark Elder, Stephen Hough, Sir John Barbirolli, Sir Adrian Boult, Dame Janet Baker, Richard Hickox etc etc etc etc.

On the contrary, any criticisms of Sir Simon Rattle and Bryn Terfel prove that folk aren't prepared to put artists beyond criticism just because they're British, quite rightly.

[Mr Pee]

I think that the carping and snide innuendos about Terfels regrettable decision to pull out of The Ring - a decision which I found very dissapointing- has gone beyond fair criticism. We do not know the exact details, exactly what the circumstances were in his home life at the time , or just how severe the injury to his son actually was. A broken finger might not sound that bad, but to a six-year old? I know I would have wanted my Dad around if I'd done that to myself.

And as to the list of artists above- Sir Mark Elder and Stephen Hough are both world class musicians, but they do not have the international headline factor of Terfel or Rattle. As to the other names- well, they're all dead, aren't they, as Mandryka has no doubt noticed. I'm sure that were either of the above to pop their clogs she'd be the first to let us know in her usual blunt fashion, and then all the criticism would melt away. I get the feeling Mandryka only has a good word to say about somebody when the word "dead" can be added after their name.

[Bryn]

The Jones boy done well in pulling out of The Ring. Good to see him putting his son's welfare above financial gain.

[Mandryka]

I think that the carping and snide innuendos about Terfels regrettable decision to pull out of The Ring - a decision which I found very dissapointing- has gone beyond fair criticism. We do not know the exact details, exactly what the circumstances were in his home life at the time , or just how severe the injury to his son actually was. A broken finger might not sound that bad, but to a six-year old? I know I would have wanted my Dad around if I'd done that to myself.

And as to the list of artists above- Sir Mark Elder and Stephen Hough are both world class musicians, but they do not have the international headline factor of Terfel or Rattle. As to the other names- well, they're all dead, aren't they, as Mandryka has no doubt noticed. I'm sure that were either of the above to pop their clogs she'd be the first to let us know in her usual blunt fashion, and then all the criticism would melt away. I get the feeling Mandryka only has a good word to say about somebody when the word "dead" can be added after their name.

Don't worry, Mr. P - when you pop your clogs, I will be hard pushed to write your eulogy, so won't be bothering.

ahinton and Caliban are quite right: Terfel's 'Britishness' (he'd almost certainly decline the 'British' and describe himself as 'Welsh') is not germane to this discussion. The fact is, he's supposed to be a professional artist, in the front rank of his profession and has to be judged by the most stringent professional standards.

Anyway, Terfel is supposed to be a multi-millionaire, isn't he? Surely his means extend to a couple of professional nannies.

[amateur51]

Anyway, Terfel is supposed to be a multi-millionaire, isn't he? Surely his means extend to a couple of professional nannies.

A very odd comment - the child needed his father's presence, not a professional nanny. He lives in the same village as some of my relatives and I know that there was considerable kudos attached to his going back to be with the lad.

[Mandryka]

A very odd comment - the child needed his father's presence, not a professional nanny. He lives in the same village as some of my relatives and I know that there was considerable kudos attached to his going back to be with the lad.

There is a clear divide between operagoers and non-operagoers in their attitude toward Terfel's actions: I'd guess that most of his neighbours belong to the latter category.

And let's not forget that BT could actually AFFORD to forgo his Ring fee in order to put 'family first': not all that many of his colleagues have that luxury.

[amateur51]

There is a clear divide between operagoers and non-operagoers in their attitude toward Terfel's actions: I'd guess that most of his neighbours belong to the latter category.

And let's not forget that BT could actually AFFORD to forgo his Ring fee in order to put 'family first': not all that many of his colleagues have that luxury.

I'm an opera-goer Mandryka. I'm also a concert-goer. Many's the time I've queued round the block for tickets for a recital by Sviatoslav Richter, Michelangeli and today's serial canceller, Argerich only to find that on the night it's a no-show.

Frustrating I agree but that's all - frustrating. Do you really mean to tell me that you'd rather not go to a Ring cycle unless the cast-as-published is there on the night? Some of my best nights in the opera house and concert hall have been when the stand-in has seized the moment and the audience has willed them on apparently to extraordinary performances.

As to your comment about Bryn's neighbours, you need to remember than Bryn's talent was discovered as a talented farm lad locally at countless local concerts and Eisteddfodau. When he went up to London to study it was a matter of huge local pride which grew as his talent developed and became more widely recognised. He has continued to be a part of the local cultural life and has given something back through his annual Faenol Music Festival, the proceeds of which go largely to local children's charities.

Bryn knew that his community would expect him to go back to comfort and support his wife and family at this difficult time and he went back. I for one applaud him for so doing while at the same time acknowledging your frustration and that of thousands of metropolitan opera-goers

[Mr Pee]

I'm an opera-goer Mandryka. I'm also a concert-goer. Many's the time I've queued round the block for tickets for a recital by Sviatoslav Richter, Michelangeli and today's serial canceller, Argerich only to find that on the night it's a no-show.

Frustrating I agree but that's all - frustrating. Do you really mean to tell me that you'd rather not go to a Ring cycle unless the cast-as-published is there on the night? Some of my best nights in the opera house and concert hall have been when the stand-in has seized the moment and the audience has willed them on apparently to extraordinary performances.

As to your comment about Bryn's neighbours, you need to remember than Bryn's talent was discovered as a talented farm lad locally at countless local concerts and Eisteddfodau. When he went up to London to study it was a matter of huge local pride which grew as his talent developed and became more widely recognised. He has continued to be a part of the local cultural life and has given something back through his annual Faenol Music Festival, the proceeds of which go largely to local children's charities.

Bryn knew that his community would expect him to go back to comfort and support his wife and family at this difficult time and he went back. I for one applaud him fortso doing while at the same time acknowledging your frustration and that of thousands of metropolitan opera-goers

I couldn't agree more Amateur! And that's a phrase I don't use very often!!!

[Mandryka]

I'm an opera-goer Mandryka. I'm also a concert-goer. Many's the time I've queued round the block for tickets for a recital by Sviatoslav Richter, Michelangeli and today's serial canceller, Argerich only to find that on the night it's a no-show.

Frustrating I agree but that's all - frustrating. Do you really mean to tell me that you'd rather not go to a Ring cycle unless the cast-as-published is there on the night? Some of my best nights in the opera house and concert hall have been when the stand-in has seized the moment and the audience has willed them on apparently to extraordinary performances.

As to your comment about Bryn's neighbours, you need to remember than Bryn's talent was discovered as a talented farm lad locally at countless local concerts and Eisteddfodau. When he went up to London to study it was a matter of huge local pride which grew as his talent developed and became more widely recognised. He has continued to be a part of the local cultural life and has given something back through his annual Faenol Music Festival, the proceeds of which go largely to local children's charities.

Bryn knew that his community would expect him to go back to comfort and support his wife and family at this difficult time and he went back. I for one applaud him fortso doing while at the same time acknowledging your frustration and that of thousands of metropolitan opera-goers

I have to say, his cancellation meant very little to me, personally, as I'm not a fan - I'm more bothered by the boorish off-stage (and on-stage) behaviour and the way he lets down colleagues but then is given leeway to return. And it's not like the Ring was an isolated incident....BT had form for short notice cancellations long before that. I reckon I've been due to see him about 10 times in my opera-going careers, but have only actually seen him on two occasions (on both of which, to be fair, he has been on form).

I'm happy to know that he supports his community but I don't think he quite knows what he wants to be: an opera-singer, or a light entertainer....at present, he seems to be a confused combination of the two. Not satifying for his audiences or, perhaps, for him.

[amateur51]

I'm happy to know that he supports his community but I don't think he quite knows what he wants to be: an opera-singer, or a light entertainer....at present, he seems to be a confused combination of the two. Not satifying for his audiences or, perhaps, for him.

Or maybe he does know and you just don't like it?

[Nick Armstrong]

I couldn't agree more Amateur! And that's a phrase I don't use very often!!!

[Richard Tarleton]

Sorry - I've been silently holding Mandryka's coat for the last 18 hours whilst other things have distracted me....

Am 51, didn't the Faenol Festival depend on a roster of international artistes being prepared to put out for it - Georghiu and the like - when some of Bryn's stardust might rub off on them, but they seemed to drop away when Bryn stepped back from the world stage?
http://www.caernarfonherald.co.uk/ca...8817-27511960/ - 160 tickets sold for Al Murray, 1600 for Westlife, festival cancelled, says it all really.....

I don't know the details obviously, or how the finger is now, but is there a possibility that it was a Person from Porlock - that Bryn hadn't learnt his lines, and simply bottled it?

The widow of Hans Hotter gave Bryn her husband's marked scores, before he cancelled

Mrs T was quoted at the time as saying Bryn would be doing more concerts from now on, as it was easier to get home afterwards. One can't help suspecting a lack of understanding of what it is he does, or quite what a sacred calling being a Wagnerian bass-baritone actually is.