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.
Some Enchanted Evening
Bryn Terfel Lyrics
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You may see a stranger across a crowded room,
And somehow you know, you know even then,
That somehow you'll see here again and again.
Some enchanted evening, someone may be laughing,
You may hear her laughing across a crowded room,
And night after night, as strange as it seems,
Who can explain it, who can tell you why?
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try.
Some enchanted evening, when you find your true love,
When you hear her call you across a crowded room,
Then fly to her side and make her your own,
Or all through your life you may dream all alone.
Once you have found her, never let her go,
Once you have found her, never let her go.
Bryn Terfel's "Some Enchanted Evening" is a love song that speaks to the magic and mystery of falling in love. In the opening lyrics, he speaks about seeing a stranger across a crowded room and feeling drawn to them, sensing that they will meet again. There is an almost mystical quality to the way he speaks about this chance encounter, suggesting that it is something that simply cannot be explained or understood.
As the song continues, Terfel adds new layers to this idea, speaking about the sound of someone's laughter filling your dreams night after night. This line speaks to the way that love can take hold of our imagination and refuse to let go. The song's refrain - "who can explain it, who can tell you why" - further underscores the ineffable nature of falling in love, suggesting that it is something that cannot be quantified or explained.
But while Terfel embraces the mystery of romance, he is also a practical romantic. In the last verse, he sings about finding your true love and holding onto them tightly, warning that failing to do so could result in a lifetime of unfulfilled dreams. "Once you have found her, never let her go," he sings, driving home the point that love is beautiful, but also something that requires work and commitment to last.
Line by Line Meaning
Some enchanted evening, you may see a stranger,
On a magical night, you could spot an unfamiliar person in a packed room.
You may see a stranger across a crowded room,
Even in a sea of faces, that stranger catches your attention.
And somehow you know, you know even then,
You feel an inexplicable sensation that you will encounter that stranger again and again.
That somehow you'll see here again and again.
Your intuition tells you that you will cross paths with that stranger repeatedly.
Some enchanted evening, someone may be laughing,
During a magical night, you might hear someone guffawing.
You may hear her laughing across a crowded room,
That laughter reverberates in the room, even amidst a large crowd.
And night after night, as strange as it seems,
Surprisingly, every evening, you'll hear that same laughter.
The sound of her laughter will sing in your dreams.
The sound of her laughter permeates your unconscious mind and follows you into your dreams.
Who can explain it, who can tell you why?
No one can elucidate or justify these magical occurrences.
Fools give you reasons, wise men never try.
While the foolish will try to give explanations, the wise accept their inexplicability.
Some enchanted evening, when you find your true love,
On a magical night, you could discover your genuine romantic partner.
When you hear her call you across a crowded room,
Through the throng, you can hear her voice calling for you.
Then fly to her side and make her your own,
Hurry to her, take her in your arms, and declare your love.
Or all through your life, you may dream all alone.
Unless you take the risk to pursue her, you will spend your life yearning for her.
Once you have found her, never let her go,
After discovering your true love, don't let her slip away.
Once you have found her, never let her go.
The most important thing to remember is never to lose the one you truly love.
Lyrics © CONCORD MUSIC PUBLISHING LLC
Written by: Oscar Hammerstein II, Richard Rodgers
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind