Bryn Terfel talks about Roger Waters' Ca Ira
Written by Matt   
Sunday, 15 August 2004

Yesterday's Night&Day supplement accompanying UK newspaper The Mail On Sunday, included an interesting interview with British opera singer Bryn Terfel, who is appearing on the recording of the forthcoming opera from former Pink Floyd front man Roger Waters. The opera, Ca Ira, is scheduled to appear next year. The interview covers his career, and of course touches on his work with Roger:

"I was a huge Pink Floyd fan in my youth, so when I heard that Roger wanted me to sing, I didn't care what it was like, I just wanted to do it."

Waters has been recording an opera about the French revolution called Ca Ira, which roughly translates as "It'll be all right." Terfel sings the narration and he's relishing the experience. "For me, it's a breath of fresh air. Roger's been writing new scenes, duets and choral pieces every year. A fax or or an email will come through saying, 'I've got another scene'. He could be sitting in Mauritius or somewhere right now writing a new scene."

The normally calm and tranquil Terfel only broke away from this relaxed state - firstly when he describes the Welsh football team's lamentable inability to sing the Welsh national anthem, offering to coach the team himself. The second is when he reveals he "bears a grudge" against Roger Waters. "He's whipped me on the golf course twice, so one of my biggest problems now is to get that ten quid back." The report then notes with relief that, despite Bryn having a fantastic voice and stellar career, he's as rubbish at golf as the rest of us!

The inclusion of Bryn will help promote Roger's opera to the followers of this discipline, as he (Terfel) is arguably a bigger star than Roger, albeit in a different field of music, and we can see that his presence on the project will be covered heavily. We are sure that this isn't the last word we've heard from Bryn about the opera!