Der Fliegende Holländer, Covent Garden

Sem surpresa, a interpretação de Terfel (ossia O Colosso), como Holländer, marca a nova produção de Der fliegende Holländer (Wagner), recentemente estreada em Covent Garden.

Há uma década atrás, este superlativo registo (tal como este) levantavam a ponta do véu, fazendo crescer água na boca, tanto dos wagnerianos – como eu! -, como dos terfelianos – como eu!!

Depois disto, digam que "já não há vozes wagnerianas" – Terfel, Stemme, Meier, Heppner, Salminen, e muitos outros, chegavam para montar um Der Ring memorável, ou não?

For the moment, aqui fica a revista de imprensa deste acontecimento, marcado pela unanimidade: Terfel é sinonimo de excelência!

Pela minha parte, sei-o desde 1998, ano em que a peste operática se entranhou em mim, atingindo-se o point of no return!

«Add to that the flying Welshman, Bryn Terfel, weighing anchor in a performance of thrilling intensity more than matched on this occasion by a soprano, Anja Kampe, who simply knows no fear; throw in the Royal Opera Chorus on blistering form and a stage director, Tim Albery, for whom less is always more, and you have one of those rare evenings in the opera house that has you sitting so far forward in your seat that every muscle in your body is aching by close of play.

(…)

Enter now the flying Terfel toting a rope like it’s his lifeline or his cross to bear for all eternity. His still, dark, bulky, threatening presence is already not quite of this world and as he quietly utters the words “Die Frist ist um” (“The time is up”) you sense the weariness of his eternal torment. Terfel’s German has always been exemplary but here he uses words like a fist of defiance against “eternal annihilation”, spitting out consonants with impunity and making phrases like “barbarous son of the sea” as ugly and they are vivid. He is as good here as I’ve heard him in a long time, capitalising now on his well-marinated vocal timbre, weathered and craggy but still capable of great tenderness in those ascents into honeyed head voice.»



«Tim Albery's staging is built around Bryn Terfel's haunted portrayal of the Dutchman, and the bass-baritone unquestionably delivers. His performance is mesmerising - hauntingly well-sung, and he dominates the stage even when doing nothing at all. Set alongside the equally world-class Senta (sung by Anja Kampe, in her Royal Opera debut), Terfel secures and intensifies the core of the drama, and its climax.

(…)

But with Torsten Kerl as a sturdy Erik, Hans-Peter König a suitably stolid Daland, and John Tessier a crisp, fresh-toned Steersman, the supporting cast are first-rate. Terfel and Kampe, though, are exceptional.»



«Dragging the dead weight of the rope of destiny behind him, Bryn Terfel's Flying Dutchman appears a haunted and weary man, who seems to know from the start that his bid to break the curse that binds him to sail the seas for eternity will fail. He starts his great monologue Die Frist ist um, The Time is up, in a chilling sotto voce, which builds to a magnificent outpouring of rage, fear, despair and a thread of hope.

In fabulously good voice, carving a majestic legato line, Terfel goes on to give a performance of the grandest Wagnerian stature and, if nothing quite matches the impact he makes in this opening scene, the fault is Wagner's, not his. The remainder of the opera is dominated by Anja Kampe's equally powerful Senta. A few dud top notes and lapses in intonation aside, she sings this killingly difficult role with thrilling abandon and intensity, etching a sharp characterisation of a neurotic obsessive on a psychologically suicidal course.

(…)

Terfel and Kampe inevitably overshadow the other soloists, but Hans-Peter König's makes something of the bluff, venal Daland, Torsten Kerl sings cleanly as Erik, and John Tessier is a spritely steersman.

(…)

The orchestra plays quite gloriously throughout. But it's Terfel and Kampe who make this production quite unmissable. Book any remaining tickets now.»



(Bryn Terfel)