How did you manage being on the road and touring when you had children and a husband at home ? Did you find it difficult to be a wife and a mother as well as a singer and celebrity ? Any regrets about missed events – school concerts etc ?
I met my husband when I was 35 and didn ’ t have children till I was 40 . But they were a real blessing . I had health problems with my kidney and was told I may not be able to have kids . My career really changed when I had kids . Before having children , I performed all over the world but when I became a mother I started to do more work in the UK – I got involved in TV shows , made albums , talked on the radio , performed in West End Musicals – most of which was on my doorstep so I didn ’ t have to be away from them . And if I did any touring , for example , I performed at lots of open air theatres around the UK , they would come on the road with me – they loved it ! I ’ d shove a couple of sleeping bags in the trailer for when they got tired . I am so lucky that I have been able to diversify my career to fit in with my family life .
My children are all grown up now – they have both just graduated from Sheffield University and my husband Peter is a GP so we ’ re all busy in our own ways . These days I do a couple of shows a week but I always try to get home on the same evening so I ’ m not away from home too much . I do love being at home ! Now my kids have finished university , I have come back into the opera fold . I have four composers writing for me at the moment so watch this space …
You ’ ve done several tours of “ An audience with …”, what is it about this format that you like ? Presumably some of the questions can be tricky !
The show is very intimate – the antithesis of the big shows and places I ’ ve performed in . I get the opportunity to tell my life story – from my humble working class beginnings , growing up in a little village in Thorne , South Yorkshire where I had a wonderful childhood – to great adventures performing with some of the most renowned opera companies including English National Opera and Royal Opera . The first half of the show is classical pieces and the second half is musics from shows and films then we have a Q & A with the audience . I love this part – the trickier the questions the better ! I get lots of political questions as people know I am fascinated by politics .
You have recently recorded two songs with G4 for their new album and are appearing in concert with them in March . Do you like the process of recording for an album ?
Oh , they ’ re just gorgeous and they sound like Heaven on a Stick ! I will be appearing on Loose Women with them soon . I have also performed with them in subterranean caves in Gibraltar and we had great fun playing with the monkeys afterwards ! I do enjoy recording although it ’ s a completely different discipline to performing live which I much prefer . I always try to retain that live quality when I am recording which can be a challenge for it not to sound too sterile . There was no chance of that when I was performing with G4 though !
You ’ ve done photoshoots and performances wearing some beautiful gowns , do you choose these yourself and do you get to keep them ?
I ’ ve worked with some wonderful designers over the years . David Emanuel was an early influence , as well as Vivienne Westwood . I ’ ve also been lucky enough to work with Maria Grachvogel and Castigliano . I keep them in an archive in my cottage in Yorkshire . I also have one of my Emanuel gowns on display in Cusworth Museum in Doncaster .
When you have a night off and it ’ s just you and your husband , do you have a quiet night in or do you like to go out ?
We ’ ve got six youngsters living with us at the moment so I just love spending time with them and my husband at home , cooking and chatting about current affairs . We also love going to the theatre and going out walking . We have a cottage in France so we love to go there and enjoy some nice walks . I also have a passion for horse racing . My sister and I own a racehorse so we like to go and watch him race . I just love sport and like a good Yorkshire woman I love cricket so I like to watch that and I like to do charity work . I am president of the Lady Taverners which gives young people from disadvantaged backgrounds and those with disabilities to enjoy sport .
What ’ s the best meal that you ’ ve ever had and what made it the best ?
You can ’ t beat a Sunday roast with roast beef and Yorkshire puddings of course , followed by bread and butter pudding .
As you ’ ve had a very successful career with your singing and TV work , is there an unfulfilled ambition that you still have ?
I ’ ve always fancied doing a film score but my wish is coming true this year as I have been asked to sing arias in a new film featuring Stephen Fry about Marjory Booth the opera singer and British spy who was based in Germany during the war – she was called “ The Knicker Spy ” as smuggled a microphone in her knickers ! I am so excited about that !
An Audience with Lesley Garrett
As part of her latest UK tour , Lesley is performing for one night only at Liverpool ’ s St George ’ s Hall on Friday 7 April 2017 , 7.30pm .
An Audience with Lesley Garrett will offer a delightful evening of song , reminiscences and chat .
Tickets start from £ 29.70 and can be purchased in person at TicketQuarter , Echo Arena Liverpool , online at www . ticketquarter . co . uk or on 0844 800 0410 .
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