Lyric Opera 2019-2020 Issue 8 Sir Bryn Terfel

Lyric Opera of Chicago | 11 “Belsatzar” tells the story of Belshazzar’s Feast from the Book of Daniel, and of the flaming writing on the wall that appears after King Belshazzar scorns God. Schumann’s ballad owes something to Schubert’s “Gretchen am Spinnrade,” but it illuminates the details of the biblical story in a personal way. One hears the clanging of goblets in the introduction, the noble horn-sounds of the knights and their applause as Belshazzar drinks from the sacred cup and proclaims himself king of Babylon. But how fickle is public opinion; how the mighty are brought low! Myrthen is a collection, not a cycle, and it contains many of Schumann’s most famous songs, like “Widmung,” “Der Nussbaum” and “Die Lotosblume.” It’s an international bazaar: nearly a third of the 26 songs are settings of Scottish bard Robert Burns, while Goethe is represented by five songs and Rückert by four. The Two Venetian Songs treat poems from 1822 by the Irish poet and entertainer Thomas Moore – of the famed Irish Melodies – in German translations by Ferdinand Freiligrath. Schumann presented Myrthen , bound in red velvet with gold lettering, to Clara on their wedding night. – © 2016 by David Evan Thomas Schumann composed his setting of Heine’s “Mein Wagen rollet langsam” (“My Carriage Slowly Rolls”) in 1840, but it wasn’t published until some years after his death. It is distinguished by its four sections that alternate in musical character. The text by Heine – the greatest German lyric poet of the time – finds the singer rolling in his cart through forests and valleys, with the music gently buoyant, but then, as he thinks of his sweetheart and “drei Schattengestalten” (“three shadowy forms”) look at him through the window, we have a change to more jaggedly structured lines in both voice and piano. Schumann captivates the listener further by assigning the final third of the song just to the piano, which becomes an intriguing commentator on the scene. – Roger Pines Songs of Britain Head west from London on the M4, and in a little over two hours you’ll cross the River Severn and find yourself in Wales, a part of the U.K. but another land entirely, with its own language, history, heroes, and song tradition. Wales is about the size of New Jersey, with a population somewhat smaller than the Twin Cities metro area. It’s a largely rural country known for sheep farming, slate quarrying, and the coal that fueled the Industrial Revolution. The Welsh language (Cymraeg ), which is spoken by about a fifth of Welsh natives, is a Celtic language related to Gaelic. Several of its phonemes do not exist in English, including those “soft consonants strange to the ear” described by poet R. S. Thomas. Wales is known as the “Land of Song” for its bardic traditions and international Eisteddfod, an annual festival-competition of word and song. Idris Lewis (1889–1952), composer of “Can yr Arad Goch” (“Song of the Red Plough”), was the son of a coal miner from Llansamlet, near Swansea in south Wales. He studied at the Royal College of Music and became the first musical director of the BBC in Cardiff, where he pioneered orchestral broadcasts. Lewis set many texts by John Hughes, who used his middle name, “Ceiriog,” in competition. “Sul y Blodau” (“Palm Sunday”) is a lullaby sung by a mother to her dead child. Its composer, Owen Williams (1877–1956), was the son of a cobbler from Eglwysbach in the old county of Denbighshire in north Wales. – © 2016 by David Evan Thomas The touching, achingly beautiful “My Little Welsh Home” has both music and lyrics by William Sidney Gwynn Williams (1896–1978). Welsh music was a subject on which Williams enlightened audiences for decades through speeches, books, articles, and radio broadcasts. Among the many important projects in which his involvement was instrumental was the prestigious singing competition known as the international Eisteddfod , in which outstanding choruses from all over the world have participated since its founding 72 years ago. Williams’s leadership was also vital to the Welsh Folk Song Society, which he served for more than a quarter-century. His publications included the influential Welsh National Music and Dance and many folk-song collections, published over a period of nearly 50 years. – Roger Pines A tribute to John Charles Thomas (Selected songs, announced from the stage) Born in 1891, American baritone John Charles Thomas enjoyed a reputation as one of the most communicative artists of his time, earning admiration for his vibrant personality as much as for his magnificent voice. Thomas was of Welsh descent on his father’s side and German on his mother’s. After receiving impeccable training at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, the Pennsylvania native chose to begin his professional career in operettas and musicals on Broadway. He spent a decade there in leading roles, acquiring legions of fans. He finally made his professional stage debut as a full-fledged opera singer in 1925 in Washington, singing Amonasro in Aida . Spending much of the late 1920s at one of Europe’s major houses – La Monnaie in Brussels – he returned to opera in America with his artistry significantly enhanced. His growing fame was continually boosted by recitals that made his name universally recognized throughout the United States. In his programs he mixed classical and popular repertoire with enormous confidence and flair, including numerous songs written especially for him. He retired in the early 1950s, and died in 1960. – Roger Pines Dan Rest Sir Bryn Terfel in the title role/ Don Giovanni, Lyric, 2004|05 season.