Welsh bass-baritone Bryn Terfel remains as commanding and charismatic as ever, judging by his latest Australian outing. Not seen in these parts since 2015, when he appeared with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, it’s obvious that time has little touched his hale, resonant instrument, and his dramatic instincts remain wholly undimmed.

Bryn Terfel. Photo supplied

Take his tender, ruminative account of the Fliedermonolog from Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg as an example. Deploying a conversational tone and displaying an ease of projection, his phrasing was imbued with a freshness and spontaneity that made the aria seem like an unfolding psychological utterance, his trademark russet timbre and crisp diction the cherries on top.

Such attention to detail was more than carried through in Abendlich strahlt der Sonne Auge from Das Rheingold, which showed off the singer’s seemingly endless reserves of breath and intelligent handling of text. Sung with dark, glowing tone, Terfel conveyed the young Wotan’s rapture – hinting also at his impetuosity and pride – at the sight of his new home, dispatching a thrilling top F with plenty of weight behind it.

What a difference it was to see the Wotan of Die Walküre next, the...