Mostly what I listen to when I turn on my little iPod is opera.
I'm an opera lover.
I have no desire to become a crossover artiste, singing with microphones. I believe in opera; that it is something that young people would love if they had a chance to hear it.
When I was very little, I was sort of consumed by a love for opera. Weirdly enough, I went from being really enthusiastic about construction vehicles at the age of seven to being really passionate about 'La Traviata' by the time I was eight.
I sang 'Nessun Dorma' twice with Pavarotti, and he told me he'd heard 'Smoke' about five or six times, and every time was different. He was so jealous because if he deviated one jot from the traditional interpretation of the famous arias, he'd be crucified. We have the freedom.
To this day, I adore classical music, and I'm very interested in opera, which I found out later my father was also extremely fond of.
I was more of a light opera singer, not really much of a lounge singer.
I'd been trained in choral, gospel, and a little bit of opera.
When I started studying for the arias it was like going into training for a heavyweight title fight.
I'd really been interested in opera when I was about 16, and I really like staging them.
I love grand opera. I can't hear 'La Boheme' without dissolving.
When I do concerts and recitals, the two most common requests are spirituals and opera.
As a young man, I wooed, unsuccessfully, with Puccini. It's important to get your operas right.
Actually I do not listen to much opera music.
Any form of classical music is made for youth.
Franco Corelli is my favorite tenor.
I love opera so much. I would never go back to doing it, but I love to listen - I'm grateful for it.
In real life as in grand opera, arias only make hopeless situations worse.
I'd love to do 'Werther.' It's a great opera, and the music's so beautiful.
For years, I wasn't in the least bit interested in opera.
I listen to Handel's vocal music, almost exclusively.
I'd hate this to get out but I really like opera.
When I got into college, I got into operatic vocalists, like Leontyne Price.
I listen to either romantic classical music, Brahms or Beethoven or something like Mozart, or I go all the way contemporary and listen to Metallica or Adele, Radiohead, jazz, whatever it is that is completely opposite.
Classical music has been based on works people love and come back to for aural comfort.
