Opera superstar Bryn Terfel turns 50 on Monday, November 9 and will celebrate this landmark birthday singing opera in Monaco in front of Royalty and admiring his very special present to himself – a yellow chopper bike.
The bass-baritone will be performing Tosca by Puccini. His performance of the opera earned him a standing ovation from a sell-out audience at the Wales Millennium Centre last Monday
Bryn, who was born and raised on a farm at Pant Glas near Penygroes, hopes for a similar response at Opéra de Monte-Carlo, in Monaco.
"The opera house is putting something on and I hope Prince Albert, who has a friend, Mark Thomas, who he watches rugby with, so I hope they will be there," he said.
We spoke in his dressing room at the Royal College of Music and Drama, Cardiff as he prepared for a special birthday concert in front of family, friends and colleagues.
Asked what his best birthday present would be he said: "Without any shadow of a doubt the best present I've received is one I bought recently for myself.
“I used to love chopper bikes, and I had a second hand red one. I was passing the shop and saw a yellow chopper bike in the window, I just had to have it."
But Bryn has no plans to ride it. He plans to hang it up on a wall in his home.
Reaching his half-century has given Bryn a chance to look back on his hugely successful career which has seen him perform at the world's famous opera houses.
"So far my life has been a bit of a journey, from the various opera houses, conductors, producers, orchestras, concerts halls, and I hope it will continue.
“The closing line in our anthem is “Bydded i’r heniaith barhau" and I hope that’s true with my career too, I hope it will continue,” he said.
Bryn said there have been many milestones in his career but the turning point was in 1989 when he competed in Cardiff Singer of the World.
"Although I came second to Dmitri Hvorostovsky, the competition was a great starting place. It gave me a ticket to walk into jobs.
“Along the way, I've had to work hard, know my work, and learn how to cope.
“Opera houses are like restaurants, if you have great food and excellent service, the chances are you’ll eat there again. It’s the same with opera houses, if they like you they’ll ask you back."
He said opera singer Sir Geraint Evans had had a major influence on his professional life.
“I sang in front of him at the National Eisteddfod in Porthmadog and he rang Sir George Solti in London and said: 'Can you please listen to this young singer?’ I got a pianist and went to meet him.
“From that meeting I got two jobs - Antonio, the gardener, in Le nozze di Figaro and Der Geisterbote in Die Frau ohne Schatten in the Easter Festival in Salzburg. It was a fascinating period and of course it opened doors for me. It was definitely a crucial afternoon,” he said.
"I hope I never stop singing Falstaff. We would talk about pasta, red wines, Milan and then I'd throw in a cheeky question about why he didn’t write more for the bass-baritone. Very selfish I know, but my only singing of his music has been the roles of Ford and Falstaff. I will never sing Trovatore, Traviata, Rigoletto, Boccanegra. Travesty!"
Bryn says he owes his success to the team around him. "It's a bit like being tennis or golf player, having a team around you is crucial. In my world it’s musicians and a linguist – if I want to sing in French or Russian I get someone in to help me.
“Since being at the Guildhall I have a great team, and without their support it would have been very hard for me to make it in this business. I’ve had the same agent, Doreen O’Neil, since 1988," he said.
As he begins his second half century Bryn is looking forward to the next period in his life.
"My diary is full until 2019, it has to be, and I have to know my homework and what to learn. I'm normally last minute in doing everything, but I’m fast in learning work.
“I like to do a variety of things, add feathers to my cap and try out.
“The next few years will see a variety of different things and I hope to do some concerts by myself," he said.
Besides music Bryn is a fanatic Welsh rugby follower and was at Twickenham recently with his three boys for the Wales v Australia match.
"Golf is an obsession! Following my favourite football team, Manchester United, is a must. Stocking up my wine cellar and enjoying them has become a ritual.
“Walking the mountains of Wales is also a privilege and last but not least, being there for my children is paramount to me," he said.
And looking back on his career what's the best advice he was given?
"I was told to grow my hair. I looked like a farmer
early on in my career"
