English translation is below ⇩

From an interview in July 2005 by Shoko Egawa.

It is time for terrorism in London ....

Q: After having enjoyed your concert last night, I was shocked by watching terrorist attack news on TV. Your family is living in London, right?

D: Fortunately, my wife was not in London, she is in Geneva now.

Q: The first terror attack occurred on July 7th, two weeks ago.

D: Yes, it was my son, Maxi's birthday!

Q: What! Is that so!

D: My mother-in-law was visiting us in London, and when the terror attack occurred, they had already left London to Geneva thus they could escape from the difficulties.

Q: Did terrorism affect something in your life?

D: My job requires a lot of traveling. After the 9.11 terrorist attack in NY, traveling is no longer fun. I have to move around carefully through several security systems. I have to be quite prepared and it takes extra time.

Q: When the attack occurred, you were on stage for "Rigoletto"?

D: I was taking a day off on the 7th after the premier of "Rigoletto" at the Covent Garden on the evening of July 6, the night before that.

Q: Do you notice any changes in the audience after the attack?

D: There was not much change in particular. London audiences are not surprised by terrorism. They have experienced the history of long feud with Ireland. Sadly, even if we are facing to such fear, our lives will keep going on. I can not change my life for extremists. This is a fight between civilized society and fanatic extremists. However, social gap in the world are quite extreme, Many of African countries, Arabic countries are also suffering from poverty. We must work well with people in other worlds, compromise, people must be happy and think about ways to help each other.

Q: What do you think of the mission of musicians in this difficult time?

D: Often said, I am convinced that art will create peace. With excellent art, people can improve and forget war and tragedy. And think of peace and love. In a sense, we, musicians are peace makers.

I am very interested in Arabic history, religion, folk songs, Islamic music. Muslim blood is in my gene. My grandfather is from Qatar. I listen carefully to the Quran recitation for hours. When I was young I won the Grinca contest in Bagu, the capital of Azerbaijan, and I won the championship. It was in 1987. I spent time in to listen to the regional music in Bagu.

Q: By the way, you must receive a lot of offers of Mozart's opera in 2006?

D: Not really. I have stopped singing "Don Giovanni".

Q: Why?

D: It is not good for my voice. Although my vocal range is wider, singing a low keys for a long time is not good for me. I sang Don Giovanni in MET 's huge hall, and it was really hard.

Q: Do you think you will not change your mind?

D: I can sing much better in Italian repertories. Verdi's opera is better than Mozart's for me. Years ago, I thought that I could sing the works of Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Verdi and other composers at the same time. Although, I found it impossible. Life is only one time, so I think I would like to focus on what I can sing the best.

Q: So, do you think which composer is the best for you? Verdi?

D: Verdi, Tchaikovsky · · · ·. Now I am working on some French repertories such as "Faust". I have the offer of "Hamlet" from Washington Opera.  Well, Domingo has announced it to "New York Times" already thus I have to do Hamlet in 2008!  It is a wonderful role.

Q: How about Rodrigo? I saw your Rodrigo in Vienna, it was wonderful and I was deeply touched. "Don Carlo" is one of my favorite.

D: Rodrigo is very interesting and beautiful role. It is pleasure to sing too.

Q: What makes Rodrigo attractive?

D: Most baritone roles require some depth on the top of beautiful singing or clean dialogue.  Rodrigo is a complex role among them. He is an excellent politician who can move people's hearts.   He makes everyone gets involved with his plan including Filipo, although at the end he becomes a victim of his own plan.  When he died, he should have been in his early twenties.

Q: Rodrigo is such a young man?  You sing Germont quite often and he is an old character.

D: Yes. He is a father of Alfredo in "La Traviata".  Germont is a complicated, tactic person in another sense. In order to protect his family’s social standing, he tries to convince his son to give up his love to Violetta, and that is his mission. That is why, such a beautiful melody is given to Germont.

Q: You also sing Rigoletto too.

D: Regoletto is another difficult and complex role, and I love this dramatic opera which is really rewarding.  Singing Rigolette is my dream since I was about 17, 18 years old.  I have waited years until I got enough matured both physically and mentally to be ready for this role. 

Q: Why Rigoletto is so special?

D: The script and the beautiful music.  I am also a father, so, I understand well the situation that Rigolette has to be involved.  As the same as Falstaff, singing Rigoletto is always the challenge myself.

Q: Is it difficult to play the deformed man like him?

D: Rigolette must be completely into his shape of body, I mean I have to bend my body down.  After the rehearsal, my body hurts for a week.  Neck, back, waist, knee ... all of them.  I have to twist my body and walk, and I have to sing for hours in that posture.  During rehearsals, I have to wear a special shoes to distort walking, and to use a cane from 10 to 7.  It gives me a shoulder pain.  What I did first after finishing Rigoletto, was taking a massage (laugh).  Nevertheless, if the role can be done perfectly, I will get great satisfaction as an artist and as a human.

Q: Are you planning to sing "Evgeny Onegin" soon?

D: I will do it in Covent Garden in 2006.  I also sing in MET's 2006-2007 production, and Lyric Opera in Chicago in the same year. So, the next season is the Onegin season.

Q: How do you think of this role?

D: He is also complicated, not a straightforward person. Honest, but arrogant.  He is too experienced at his age that makes him rejecting Tatiana.  Of course, women are much smarter than men though.

Q: Is it depending on person?

D: Women think first by instinct. I think instinct is a wisdom connecting to the universe.

Q: What about men?

D: Men are too vanity, they can not be honest to internal themselves. In the high society of the 19th century, there was a tendency  to consider it good.  Onegin is a victim of such a trend.  Tatiana knows that she loves Onegin, and he needs her too.  Onegin does not listen to his inner voice. That's why he refuses Tatiana.  After having killed his best friend, and a painful wandering journey, he finally faces to his honest thought with regard to Tatiana.   And when he realized that he loves her, it is too late.  Often it happens to our lives too.  This is a truly beautiful story created by two geniuses, Pushkin and Tchaikovsky both I really admire.

Q: And we will be able to see you in opera in 2006 in Japan!

D: Yes, I will be back to Japan with MET.

Q: How about any recitals in Japan?

D: Yes, I'm planning it too now.