I have always felt an excellent rapport ever since my very first concert in Britain at Hampton Court. I have always felt understood. The British understand opera very well.

I like to windsurf and ski, and most of all I love to ride horses. The wilder and faster the better! If I'm presented with a fast horse or a fast boat, I still get that shiver of excitement and I cannot resist. Luckily I never seem to have any accidents, and thank God for that.

A young pregnant wife has been hospitalized for a simple attack of appendicitis. The doctors had to apply ice to her stomach and when the treatments ended the doctors suggested that she abort the child, they told her it was the 'best solution' because the baby would be born with some disability but the young brave wife decided not to abort, and the child was born. That woman was my Mother and I was the child.

A career is like a house: it's made of many bricks, and each brick has the same value, because without any one of them, the house would collapse.

I know that my passion is for opera, but sometimes I like also to sing songs, because there are many beautiful melodies.

The world is full of many beautiful voices; I will perform with many of them. I love women's voices.

When you sing and people want that you sing, then you can hope to be great.