I change the language with which I use my voice. In opera, I know I have an orchestra behind me; I have to communicate to people very far from me.

A country that has really resonated with me and I was really impressed with was Israel. I found that the whole country had a very special atmosphere. I was there to perform, but it was one of the few places that I've visited over the years that I had some free time to explore, and I was hugely impressed by all the religious history there.

Some of us are born with a weakness for music. As a baby, music would stop whatever thought I was having. If I was worried, it would stop me worrying; if I was crying, it would stop me crying. Music was a healing thing for me.

Listen to what others tell you about your voice. If you're only singing to please yourself, you might as well just sing under the shower. But if you're singing for others, you are reliant on them to ask you to sing.

I never think about gifts. It's enough to have my family present.

Because I practice often with my children at home.

I also always carry my flute. It's very important for me to try to relax when I'm travelling, and playing my flute helps me to unwind.