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Your new album features a variety of classic love songs. How did you choose them?
"That was the hardest part of making the album because every song has a special significance for me. I wanted to make an album that celebrates all the different kinds of love that I’m lucky enough to have in my life. It’s easy when you’re making a love album just to think about romantic love and, though ‘When I Fall In Love’ is obviously for my husband, I wanted to show that there are lots of different kinds of love in my life. There’s the love of my children, the love of my parents and my love of Yorkshire too. The songs deal with these different kinds of love and they all have a link to a place or an event in my life. "
The album features a duet with Michael Ball on ‘Come What Way’. How did that come about?
"Michael’s one of my best mates! I met him when I was doing my BBC series a few years ago. We’ve often bumped into each other at parties and over the years we’ve become friends. I got him to sing an opera song on my show and he said, ‘If I’m going to do one of yours, you’ve got to do one of mine,’ so I ended up singing a Stephen Sondheim song with him soon after that. When I was making the album, I just thought, ‘I want him on my album’. He represents the love of a friend."
And hasn’t he helped you with another aspect of your career recently?
"I have a lot to thank him for because when I heard The Sound Of Music was coming into town, he was the first person I rang. I said, ‘Mike, what do you think? Do you think Andrew (Lloyd Webber) would entertain the idea of me playing Mother Abbess because I’ve always wanted to sing that role. Michael had to pick himself up off the floor at the shock of imagining me as a nun! But after a few seconds he said, ‘That’s a great idea. I’ll have a word.’ I met the casting director soon afterwards and that was that!
Have you enjoyed your role as Mother Abbess in The Sound of Music?
"I’m having a ball! Apart from having to wear a huge black frock every night – that’s the only downside! I absolutely love this role. This character is amazing. She’s so full of love and humanity and warmth and generosity and she really wants to find happiness for Maria. It’s taught me so much because it’s the first musical I’ve ever done. I’ve had to learn a lot of new disciplines to do it – it’s very different to opera."
Have you enjoyed sharing the stage with Connie Fisher?
"Enormously! She’s a star, she really is. She’s worked so hard to achieve what she’s achieved. She’s so aware of how much she owes the public and she feels an enormous responsibility to the people that have given her this opportunity. She never stops trying her very best to deliver. I think she’s grown enormously through doing this – she’s like a little sponge! She realises that this is a wonderful beginning for her. It’s not the end of the story, by any means."
Have you found it hard to juggle opera songs, musical songs and classic pop songs recently?
"I’ve also been recording some Mozart! It’s been a right old mixture recently, even by my standards! I am, mentally, very eclectic. For me, the most important thing in life is to keep challenging myself and to keep finding new projects to help me to discover what else there is inside me. That’s what we should all be doing. We’ve all got many more hidden talents than we realise. My motto is: ‘If it excites you, do it!’"
Would you like to duet with Charlotte Church?
"I’d be very happy to duet with Charlotte! I think she’s got a brilliant voice and I’ve been a big supporter of hers from the start. She’s moved into a different musical world recently but that’s not to say we can’t find some musical common ground. Never say never!"
Who else would you like to duet with in the future?
"All sorts of people! Heather Small (from M People) is a wonderful singer. And I’ve always wanted to sing with Tom Jones. I’d also love to do an album of duets with women, and maybe a duet with Connie."
Did you enjoy your appearances on Loose Women last year?
"Are you kidding? It’s been one of the highlights of my life! It was such an interesting thing to do. The intelligent and perceptive comments of the British public never cease to astound me. The diversity of opinion that this country is able to produce is incredible. Everybody has an opinion and everybody will back it up, and I love to hear that!"
What about sharing the screen with Carol McGiffin?
"Isn’t Carol the best? She’s as reactionary as they come but she always backs her opinions up. She’s a wonderful, strong woman and I love her to bits. I’m going to take her to an opera actually!"
You’ll end up at the pub afterwards, so we’ll look out for the pictures in the papers the next morning!
"I hope so! That’s definitely the deal – I take her to the opera, and she takes me to the pub!"
Thanks for chatting, Lesley!
