John Wilson

Where did he learn music then?

Was he self-taught?

And what about her creative influence on you as a girl?

You say she sang and she was singing arias.

It was Madame Butterfly you were singing.

I mean, do you recognise it as you?

Is there something about the tone, the delivery in any way?

You had elocution lessons.

So you were her project teacher?

So there's a lot invested in you at a young age.

So a lot of expectations.

Did you enjoy all those lessons?

You were sort of rubbing your hands as you were remembering that story as if you could still feel the ruler wrapped over your knuckles.

What was school life like?

Was your talent for singing recognised and nurtured there at a young age?

Did you have extracurricular singing lessons or was it just at school?

I was going to say, that stands you in good stead as an opera singer, doesn't it?

Absolutely.

It's so much about breathing.

But if this talent was spotted at such a young age and you were, you know, this perfect pitch at the age of two, were you already as a child thinking, I might be able to be a singer, I might make a living out of this as a grown-up?