Toronto born heldentenor Alan Woodrow is well known in Europe, having gotten his start as principal tenor for the English National Opera (ENO). Alan also appeared at La Scala, Paris Opéra Bastille, Frankfurt Opera and Deutsche Oper Berlin.

Most recently, Alan starred in Peter Sellar's production of Tristan with the Los Angeles Symphony Orchestra. In a neat twist, stage director Peter Sellars had produced the very first Nixon in China with Houston Grand Opera in 1987.

Vancouver Opera's Nixon in China will be the second time Alan has sung the role of Chairman Mao Tse-tung.

VO caught up with Alan for a round of 20 Questions:

Guilty musical pleasure?
Country & Western.

Where do you love to sing?
Whilst cutting the grass on my ride-on mower at my home in rural Ontario.

What is your idea of earthly happiness?
Sharing a good meal and a fine wine with my family.

To what faults do you feel most indulgent?
Gluttony!

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines of fiction?
Jack Reacher

Who are your favourite characters in history?
Alexander Graham Bell

Who are your favourite heroes/heroines in real life?
Margaret Thatcher

Who is your favourite author?
Tom Clancy

Your favourite musician?
Horst Stein

Your favourite composer?
Richard Strauss

What quality do you most admire in a person?
Honesty

Your favourite virtue?
Tenacity

Your favourite occupation?
Airline Pilot

What did you want to be as a child?
Airline Pilot

Your most marked characteristic?
Impatience with people who are incompetent.

What do you most value in your friends?
Loyalty but also honesty

For what would you like to be remembered?
My sense of humour.

What natural gift would you most like to possess?
The gift of being conversationallyl fluent in many languages.

What is your motto?
Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

What non-opera song do you rock?
Come into the Garden Maude by Balfe.