Bryn In A Loincloth

Photos by Clive Barda

There – I’m posting this for the edification of all of you (all male, come to think of it) complainers who don’t like it (scroll down) when I post about my deep and abiding and yes, I’ll say it, sick love for The Terfel.

That’s my lovely giant Bryn as Sir John Falstaff, who has just climbed out of the Thames (into which he had been ignominiously tossed from a laundry basket) and endured a brief moment of self-doubt and humility while pondering his age and girth.

Funny story – the NY Times posted a glowing review of Terfel’s performance in Falstaff and then found itself being accused by one letter-writer of lacking respect and decency toward Bryn by “displaying his deplorable physical condition” or somesuch (I’m paraphrasing). The Times then pointed out that the picture is of Terfel in a wonderfully realistic prosthetic “fat suit.”

Indeed, one may assume that Bryn is in fine physical condition, as one must be in order to spend hours singing and rolling about the stage (and climbing onto the stage via the orchestra pit) while hauling about such a cumbersome costume.

He looked pretty good recently, after all, when he sang Wotan! Although, in profile, he often reminds me of Orson Welles.

Fausta has other things on her mind.

Bryn in a loincloth