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

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.

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

I do a lot of vocal hygiene.

Nobody inspired me more than Julie Andrews, who is a classically trained soprano herself.

One of the problems that we face through the media attention that these artists receive is that there has been an awful lot of talk about opera and classical music being elite and being for an elitist group.

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