"Wagner: Scenes and Arias". (Recital).(Review)

Bryn Terfel

[] "WAGNER: SCENES AND ARIAS" Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra, Abbado DG 471348-2

In the decade since Bryn Terfel first launched his international career, the subject of Wagner has trailed him like a floating question mark. His large, dark voice, virile but sweet, would seem uniquely suited to Wagner's bass-baritone roles. Up to now, though, Terfel has approached the German composer gingerly, limiting himself to the lyric role of Wolfram. The circumtance makes the release of this CD, produced around two November 2000 concerts with the Berlin Philharmonic, a matter of great curiosity.

Straight off: Terfel brings a more beautiful voice to this repertory than anyone currently singing it. The sound is full and rich, vibrant throughout its range. Terfel demonstrates that Wagner benefits from attention to beauty of tone as much as Mozart does. And he shows a lieder singer's concern with detail and diction.

That said, it's sometimes clear that Terfel hasn't yet performed these roles in the theater. In "Die Frist ist um," well sung as it is (some moments of strain on the very highest notes aside), he doesn't convey the Dutchman's agony so vividly as did the great interpreters of the past. Terfel first recorded this monologue, to similar effect, in 1996, with James Levine and the MET Orchestra (DG 445866). When the full ...