Plácido Domingo

On March 15, Plácido Domingo celebrates his 40th anniversary at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York. He spoke with Nicki Gostin.

Do you think about retiring? Are you scared of singing after your voice goes?
I do not wish to to sing one day longer than I should but also not one day less than I could.

Do you still get butterflies?
There has to be an emotion and an excitement when you perform. When you are performing, the butterflies will never stop.

Be honest. Would you be disappointed if you didn't get four standing ovations?
Well, you are used, more or less, to the way the public reacts to you. All my career I have received that, and at the Met it has been kind of a romance with the public. So yes, of course, I will feel disappointed.

What do you say to people who say that opera is boring?
I don't think it's boring.

Of course you don't!
But let me tell you, you are right. There is nothing better than a great opera performance, but there's nothing worse than a bad opera performance.

Everyone knows about opera divas. Are there male divas?
Most of us are very normal people. This is fortunately disappearing. Of course there are still a few divas, but very little.