SONIA PRINA

I recently went to see a production of Billy Budd by Benjamin Britten in Madrid’s Teatro Real, directed by Deborah Warner. It’s such a deeply dark opera, with really complex characters – it’s a hugely involved experience. It takes a lot of emotional energy to engage with it. This production in particular obliged you to centre yourself within the music in a way I’ve never experienced before.

A few years ago, I was approached in the street and asked if I were the pop singer Pink. I’d never heard of her before so I went and had a look – we do have a similar hairstyle – and listened to her music. She’s got a great voice, very powerful and well trained, but she’s also a very free person. She’s not afraid of doing something different. I like her approach to singing and to music. It’s quite like my own.

Despite being an opera singer, I listen to a lot of rock and pop music. No one in my family listened to classical music when I was growing up, so it’s this sort of music which reminds me of home. I’m a big fan of REM and Guns N’ Roses – I remember a lot of their songs being played at parties at a time when I never imagined I’d be an opera singer. This music is one of my favourite things to listen to when I’m travelling.

One of the best performances I’ve ever seen was Bruce Springsteen. The performance was so incredibly simple. He has such a powerful voice, and sang non-