Why does power so often lead us to abandon our values?
Power is always a test of character. So many people in positions of power end up with warped personalities. Deep-seated problems come to the surface that the person had been in denial over. Usually these character traits take a lifetime to emerge, but power can act as a catalyst for negativity. The warping may take no more than a year or two; in opera it can happen over a single act.

Does Macbeth show his true colours? Or are we witnessing here the warping of his character?
I’d say it’s about the process, his journey. The genius of Shakespeare and Verdi (Pushkin, too, actually) consists in their ability to capture moments in which people have to take decisions. That’s what makes the works so vibrant and interesting. We reflect on our own lives, on the times when we opted for such and such a course of action. Shakespeare pares it down to two questions: »What can I gain – what do I have to lose? Or, more simply: To be or not to be.«

There are many sides to Macbeth: ambition, determination, fear, doubt. How do you reflect those emotions in your voice?
Although I’m confident of my capacity as a singer, I’m very respectful of what the director and conductor want for the production. That’s how I find the nuances, how I settle on more piano here, more forte there, and strike a balance between bel canto and the musical shades in my own voice. Then there are the costumes and sets, although they can also act as a curb on my voice. The acoustics of the auditorium have an influence, too. At the Deutsche Oper Berlin, for instance, I can just let loose. Another thing: immersing yourself in your character’s feelings can be a disadvantage. You can’t sing if you’re crying. With some roles I try not to think too much.

What aspects of Macbeth the man do you like, and where do you draw the line?
The odd thing about Macbeth is that there are times I hate him – but then I come round to liking him again. He’s generally more likeable than his wife, Lady Macbeth. When she goes mad, I sense that she’s not a good person, whereas he’s always on the cusp of doing good. Trouble is, he’s also always on the cusp of doing the opposite.

Is it actually Macbeth who’s corrupted by his ambitious wife?
I once saw a modern production which had them as the parents of a child who dies for some reason or other. And that’s what triggers the Lady’s thirst for power and puts Macbeth on the path to murder, to pursue a blood feud, a »vendetta«. As a young man, Verdi himself had lost his wife and two children within the space of two years. Feuding is a recurring motif for him. His operas are often about how to avoid the spiral of the »vendetta«. In my view the two of them, Macbeth and his wife, are being put to the test: what path are they going to plump for?
In the end, though, it’s not really resolved. The genius of maestros like Shakespeare and Verdi is that their fictional characters appear so alive, their dilemmas are of such modern relevance. We love them one moment and despise them the next – but we never have the impression that someone gets corrupted or simply is corrupt; they’re all people who can’t be pinned down one way or the other. At the end of the day it’s the interesting, edgy characters that we admire, not the two-dimensional ones. Even if it’s hard at times, we never stop loving these personalities.

Do you recognise any Macbeths in current world affairs?
I don’t know much about politics, but I can tell you that this sort of personality crops up at the private level. The central theme of MACBETH can be applied to all circles and dimensions. Wars are waged in the theatre of heart and soul. When we’re presented with art as powerful as that in works like MACBETH, we reflect on ourselves as human beings, we ponder over our own decisions and those brief instants. It’s no different in our private lives as it is in politics. And in the end the political situation, too, is the result of a string of decisions taken by people.

What do you especially look forward to when you travel to Berlin?
I love being back at the Deutsche Oper Berlin, which is my home from home. I’m always recommending it to younger colleagues of mine and talking about the music, its productions, the audiences. Everything is done to top-notch standards. I’m always making new friends among the ensemble and then there are the chats I have afterwards with members of the audience. Berlin is one of the most democratic places I know, and I also like the international flair of the city. But when I’m there, I’m focused on my role and just hoping that we hit top quality in rehearsals. It’s not just about performing for the audience or the public as a whole. You’re trying to communicate; it’s about a dialogue between two people. That’s what I expect from the production and from my return to this lovely opera house.