Pieces of me

Baritone Thomas Hampson

1 Caricature of Mahler One of the most important composers of my life has been Gustav Mahler. I was given this caricature of him when I sang at the opening of a museum at his childhood home in the Czech Republic. 2 Yoga mat I’ve practised hatha yoga since I was in college, 30 years ago. For a singer, physical fitness is vitally important. 3 Titleist golf clubs My father enjoyed playing golf – it was probably our closest connection. I own many sets of golf clubs, but these are among my favourites. 4 Gemini digital turntable I have more than 25,000 LPS – from modern recordings to some that date back to the beginning of recorded sound. This was the first record player that created a digital output from vinyl, allowing me to record things myself. 5 Hiking boots My wife and I love to hike in the Austrian Alps. Wherever I am performing in the world, I find time for hiking. 6 The Red Book, by Carl Jung This limited-edition book was a gift from my four children one Christmas (after I dropped some unsubtle hints). For me, Jung is one of the most important thinkers of the 20th century. 7 Sheet music It’s always very flattering to have a piece of music composed for you. This manuscript, Songs of Solitude, is the texts of some WB Yeats poems put to music by [US composer] Richard Danielpour for me to sing. It debuted in Nashville two years ago. Thomas Hampson, 61, has released more than 150 albums. He will appear in La Traviata at the Metropolitan Opera in New York from February 24 until April 14. The performance on March 11 will be broadcast live in HD to cinemas around the world. He lives in Zurich with his wife, Andrea. Interview by Jessica Carpani. Photographs by Rita Palanikumar

I have more than 25,000 LPS – some date back to the beginning of recorded sound

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