Joan Sutherland

I don’t sing for anybody. I wouldn’t sing for the Queen dear.

I’m somewhat horrified because I don’t think the young people today even know what history is. Some of them don’t’ even study History at school anymore or Geography and they don’t know where one place is from another.

You can listen to what everybody says, but the fact remains that you’ve got to get out there and do the thing yourself.

Technique is the basis of every pursuit. If you’re a sportsman or you’re a singer or a swimmer, well that comes under sport but you have to develop a basic technique to know what you’re doing at any given time.

I wasn’t actually trained by my mother, she said she never taught me but she was a great singer herself and I can’t remember when I didn’t listen to her sing and imitate her.

I’m very happy to sing whatever I’m singing. I’ve always enjoyed any role I’ve been given at a certain time. They’ve all been favourites, they’ve all been wonderful pieces to play.