Welsh star, Royal Opera back on singing terms

By Mike Collett-White

LONDON (Reuters) - Renowned Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel is back on singing terms with the Royal Opera House.

The 43-year-old performed the title role in Richard Wagner's "The Flying Dutchman" late on Monday, 18 months after abruptly withdrawing from the "Ring" cycle and causing consternation at Covent Garden, one of the world's leading opera houses.

He cited a "stressful family situation" -- his son had a badly broken finger which required surgery. The Royal Opera House said it was shocked and surprised, and the opera world argued over whether he had done the right thing.

Terfel has gone on record as saying he has no regrets, and the world famous singer is back after a year's sabbatical during which he sang hardly any full stage opera.

Asked backstage after Monday's performance whether the manner of his parting in September 2007 had added to the pressure of his first-night nerves, he told Reuters:

"No, not at all. I've rehearsed this piece now for nearly five weeks so I'm ready to go. We work hard. You know, that's all it is, we're just singers that love to perform."

The performance, the first of six running until March 10, was Terfel's comeback from a break from opera during which he sang concerts, saw his family and indulged a passion for sport.

OPERA, POPULAR MUSIC