Bryn Terfel Jones was born in Pantglas, North Wales, the son of a farmer (he knew of another Welsh baritone named Delme Bryn-Jones, so Terfel chose Bryn Terfel as his professional name). Terfel had an interest in and talent for music from a very young age. A family friend taught him how to sing, starting with traditional Welsh songs. After winning numerous competitions for his singing, Terfel moved to London in 1984 and entered the Guildhall School of Music and Drama, from which he graduated in 1989, winning the Gold Medal. He came in second behind Dmitri Hvorostovsky in the Cardiff BBC Singer of the World Competition the same year, though won the Lieder Prize.
In 1990, Terfel made his operatic début as Guglielmo in Così fan tutte at the Welsh National Opera, and later in the same season he sang the title role in The Marriage of Figaro, a role with which he made his debut with the English National Opera in 1991.
Terfel made his United States début as Figaro at the Santa Fe Opera. In 1992, he made his Royal Opera House, Covent Garden début as Masetto in Don Giovanni, with Thomas Allen in the title role. Terfel's international breakthrough came when he sang Jochanaan in Strauss's Salome at the 1992 Salzburg Festival. Terfel went on to make his début as Figaro at the Vienna State Opera. That year, he also signed an exclusive recording contract with Deutsche Grammophon, and returned to the Welsh National Opera to sing Ford in Falstaff. In 1993, he recorded the role of Wilfred Shadbolt in The Yeomen of the Guard, by Gilbert and Sullivan. Terfel has said that he would like to record "an album of Gilbert and Sullivan arias."
In 1994, Terfel sang Figaro at Covent Garden, and made his Metropolitan Opera début in the same role. He also sang Mahler's Eighth Symphony at the Ravinia Festival under the baton of James Levine. However, back surgery in 1994 (and again in 2000) prevented him from performing in several scheduled events. In 1996, Terfel expanded his repertoire to include Wagner, singing Wolfram in Tannhäuser at the Metropolitan Opera, and Stravinsky, singing Nick Shadow in The Rake's Progress at the Welsh National Opera.
In 1997, Terfel made his La Scala début as Figaro. In 1998, Bryn had a recital at Carnegie Hall which included works by Wolf, Fauré, Brahms, Schumann, Schubert, and others. In 1999, Terfel performed in Paris the title role of Don Giovanni for the first time. That year, Terfel also debuted in the title role in Falstaff at the Sydney Opera House for Opera Australia and then performed the same role at the Lyric Opera of Chicago.
Mary's Boy Child
Bryn Terfel Lyrics
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So the Holy Bible say,
Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ,
Was born on Christmas day.
Hark, now hear the angels sing,
A new king born today,
And man will live forevermore,
Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Listen to what they say,
That man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas Day.
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
Them see a bright new shining star,
Them hear a choir sing,
The music seemed to come from afar.
Now Joseph and his wife Mary,
Come to Bethlehem that night,
Them find no place to born her child,
Not a single room was in sight.
Hark, now hear the angels sing,
A new king born today,
And man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas Day.
Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Listen to what they say,
That man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas Day.
By and by they find a little nook
In a stable all forlorn,
And in a manger cold and dark,
Mary's little boy was born.
Hark, now hear the angels sing,
A new king born today,
And man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas Day.
Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Listen to what they say,
That man will live forevermore,
Because of Christmas Day.
The lyrics of Bryn Terfel's song "Mary's Boy Child" tell the story of Jesus Christ's birth as it is told in the Holy Bible. The song transports the listener back to the town of Bethlehem, where Jesus was born on Christmas day. It is said that a shining star appeared in the sky above Bethlehem, and the sound of angels singing could be heard. The angels announced the birth of a new king, who would bring everlasting life to mankind. The song describes how shepherds witnessed the scene, heard the angels singing, and were overcome by the music which seemed to come from afar.
Line by Line Meaning
Long time ago in Bethlehem,
Many years ago in the town of Bethlehem,
So the Holy Bible say,
As the stories of the Holy Bible tell,
Mary's boy child, Jesus Christ,
The baby boy of Mary, named Jesus Christ,
Was born on Christmas day.
Was born on the day we celebrate as Christmas.
Hark, now hear the angels sing,
Listen closely as the angels sing,
A new king born today,
A new king has been born this very day,
And man will live forevermore,
This event will ensure that humanity will have eternal life,
Because of Christmas Day.
All because of the day we call Christmas.
Trumpets sound and angels sing,
Hear the trumpets play and the angels join in singing,
Listen to what they say,
Pay attention to the message they bring,
That man will live forevermore,
Their message is about the eternal life that will be granted to humanity,
Because of Christmas Day.
All thanks to the day we call Christmas.
While shepherds watched their flocks by night,
As the shepherds tended to their sheep in the dark of night,
Them see a bright new shining star,
They suddenly noticed a bright new star shining in the sky,
Them hear a choir sing,
They then heard a choir singing,
The music seemed to come from afar.
The music appeared to be coming from a faraway place.
Now Joseph and his wife Mary,
At that time, Joseph and his spouse Mary,
Come to Bethlehem that night,
Arrived in Bethlehem on that very night,
Them find no place to born her child,
But could not find a place for Mary to give birth to her child,
Not a single room was in sight.
As there was no vacancy in any place they looked.
By and by they find a little nook
Finally, they found a small space,
In a stable all forlorn,
In a lonely and abandoned stable,
And in a manger cold and dark,
Where they placed the newborn baby in a cold and dark manger,
Mary's little boy was born.
Mary gave birth to her little boy.
Writer(s): Fred Jay, Jester Hairstone, Frank Farian
Contributed by Hudson O. Suggest a correction in the comments below.