Rhiannon Giddens Quotes

I have no desire to become a crossover artiste, singing with microphones. I believe in opera; that it is something that young people would love if they had a chance to hear it.

Above all, I am an opera singer. This is how people will remember me.

Let's be clear: I love singing at the Met.

I sang 'Nessun Dorma' twice with Pavarotti, and he told me he'd heard 'Smoke' about five or six times, and every time was different. He was so jealous because if he deviated one jot from the traditional interpretation of the famous arias, he'd be crucified. We have the freedom.

I've always gravitated towards opera, and the Royal Opera House is quite possibly the greatest opera house on earth.

It is essential to do everything possible to attract young people to opera so they can see that it is not some antiquated art form but a repository of the most glorious music and drama that man has created.

My worry is that opera will become an historic art form as opposed to a living, breathing thing.

Music and opera are a big part of my life.

Opera is given so little attention in the national press.

My idol has been Franco Corelli. But every singer can teach you something.

For years, I wasn't in the least bit interested in opera.

Lots of opera singers are just boring.

I don't find much influence in opera. It was such a different part of me.

I love to sing, and I warm up to Maria Callas.

But I won't deprive myself of singing opera as long as my voice follows.

I like to sing to Verdi, I like singing to Sibelius, and Mahler maybe.

Very few opera singers in history have been able to cross into popular music.

I love opera so much. I would never go back to doing it, but I love to listen - I'm grateful for it.

But I think it is more difficult to do a career as a lieder singer, and there have been less lieder singers.

My Mozart career began as a teenager in Los Angeles, singing arias from 'Le Nozze di Figaro' and 'Don Giovanni.'

I sang opera for over four years when I was younger.

When I was 11 years old, I wanted to sing Tosca.

I'm an opera lover.

I have so much respect for the big opera singers that I never dare to say I'm a singer.

I just started studying opera - very, very much as hobby - and for some reason I've been gravitating toward French composers, like a lot of Debussy and Faure. I find it a really sinuous and spooky language to sing in.