Music was language in our house. It was air.....I feel certain that if I absorbed any lessons at all in the first months and years of my life, they must have been about the work that went into making a beautiful sound.

My parents discussed singing every night over the dinner table; I had a tremendous music education.

Having to travel so much plays havoc with your personal life.

I've always been inspired by artists who have shown musical and intellectual curiosity and the courage to take risks.

For my own singing, I used to be attracted by the baroque, the flashier the better, but now I prefer a simpler, purer style.

Fostering creativity in children is as important as any other part of the school curriculum because it feeds the soul. A daily dose of creativity helps children imagine a better world and then create it.

I learned so many roles so quickly as a young singer, I thought it was time to come back to them and make them better - deeper, more nuanced.