When music fails to agree to the ear, to soothe the ear and the heart and the senses, then it has missed the point.

I am not an angel and do not pretend to be. That is not one of my roles. But I am not a devil, either. I am a woman and a serious artist, and I would like so to be judged.

An opera begins long before the curtain goes up and ends long after it has come down. It starts in my imagination, it becomes my life, and it stays part of my life long after I've left the opera house.

When the curtain rises, the only thing that speaks is courage.

I would not kill my enemies, but I will make them get down on their knees. I will, I can, I must.

When my enemies stop hissing, I shall know I'm slipping.

Real friends are very special, but you have to be careful because sometimes you have a friend and you think they are made of rock, then suddenly you realise they're only made of sand.