I don't just come from a musical family, but from a musical community.

I performed in Sydney some years ago for the Sydney Festival and I am just so pleased to be returning to the wonderful Sydney Opera House and also performing in Melbourne for the first time.

I would just like to say that opera is no longer about fat people in breastplates shattering wine glasses.

That was when I realised that music is the most profound, magical form of communication there is.

I do hope that our spring will be starting shortly and we will all be able to enjoy some sunshine again.

Opera is credible drama now, and it costs less than going to a football match. What have you got to lose?

The musical heritage of Yorkshire is deep and wide.

To tell you the truth, I never listen to opera at home.

I'm engaging my diaphragm as I'm speaking to you right now.

There are a lot of unseen elements to having a successful singing career.

It worries me that young singers think you can shortcut the training and go straight to fame and fortune, and programmes like Pop Idol have encouraged that.

When you leave reasoning & start believing than nothing is reasonable & everything is believable.

If we live we live if we die we die if we suffer we suffer if we are terrified we are terrified. There is no problem about it.

Greater inequality in Europe has made people less happy.

Take out two pieces of paper. One piece of paper, list all the people you know who are adding to your life.

The Grecian are youthful and erring and fallen gods, with the vices of men, but in many important respects essentially of the divine race.

A Winchester rifle should have a place of honor in every black home.

I have to accept the fact that, no matter what I do, it's going to annoy someone.

The voice collects and translates your bad physical health, your emotional worries, your personal troubles.

In high school my mother advised me to make my last lines into titles. It was very good advice.

The adrenaline of performing on stage to a crowd - there's nothing like it.