From my earliest childhood.
I always remember singing and dancing. I sang at church in a group with guitarists and then in a choral ensemble in Cintruenigo.

Where did you study music?

I was born in Fitero, a small town in Navarre with a magnificent Cistercian abbey. I had my first music lessons with nuns. Then I studied at the Pablo Sarasate Conservatory in Pamplona and completed my professional training at the Detmold Academy in Germany.

Tell us about the beginning of your career.

I have fond memories of my first vocal competitions: Logroño, Pamplona, Viñas in Barcelona, Callas in Italy and, above all, Belvedere in Vienna, where I received 11 prizes along with First Prize. My first performances as a professional singer were in Germany, followed by "The Pearl Fishers" in Pisa and "La Sonnambula" in St Gallen.

What have been some of your favorite roles or productions?

Susanna in "The Marriage of Figaro" at the Zarzuela Theater in Madrid, my appearances at the Bastille Opera and "The Barber of Seville" in Marseille, where the audience asked for an encore. 
I also enjoyed working with René Jacobs and Herbert Wernicke for Cavalli's "Calisto" in Brussels.
Then, of course, there was all the applause and the flowers which people threw on stage for me when I made my debut at La Scala.

Your repertory on stage and in recordings encompass Early, Classical, Romantic, Impressionistic and Contemporary music. How do you do it?

First of all, I choose music which suits my voice and then I spend a great deal of time on the musical and technical preparation to understand and interpret the style involved.

How do you spend your time between rehearsals or performances when you are away from home?

I study or review future roles, I look for new scores or in the evening I read or go to the movies, just like anyone else.

What about when you are at home?

I am not at home very often, so I set aside that time for my family and old friends.

It has been said that you are a diva at the opera and just a normal, friendly person in everyday life. Is that really true?

I think that I am very demanding in my work and I do try to get very deeply into the roles which I sing. I greatly value professional, serious work and work which is well done. 
Offstage, I am just an ordinary person with all the little ups and downs that any job involves.