Lesley Garrett

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

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

As far as I was concerned the important thing was that the music was getting the attention as well as me so it was always a great way to get more of the public to connect with classical music, and opera particularly.

That was when I realised that music is the most profound, magical form of communication there is.

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.

I don't think I have ever met a single person who isn't moved by music of some kind.

What people really should be able to be confident in is that the standards of music- making that classically trained musicians present is elite, it is the best and all of us as artists should be committed to that.

I do hope that our spring will be starting shortly and we will all be able to enjoy some sunshine again.

And woven into the fabric of this harsh existence was music.

Singing is an arduous business and it needs sacrifices.

I saw The Sound of Music when I was 10 and thought that it was the most beautiful singing I had ever heard.

I wouldn't want to criticise someone like Charlotte Church because she has done fantastically well, but personally I've always cared about the long term.