DANIELLE DE NIESE: A NEW STAGE

Known for her operatic talent, the soprano is hitting the West End in Aspects of Love - and no one is more surprised than she is

-  ROSALIND POWELL

She is one of the world's most popular opera singers, but Danielle de Niese still found it "quite unexpected" when she was offered a lead role in the West End revival of the hit musical Aspects of Love, especially after thinking she'd failed the audition.

The internationally renowned soprano was juggling a typically busy schedule, rehearsing for a production with the English National Opera while also performing at the Royal Opera House, when she got the call from director Jonathan Kent to audition for him with a few songs from the show.

"Everything went wrong that day," she tells HELLO!. "I went to meet Jonathan, looked in my bag and my music wasn't there. It's very rare for me not to be prepared, but my time had become not my own.

"They put their arms around me, gave me some fresh copies of the music and said: 'Come on, darling, it's fine, but I felt flustered and panicked. I needed my music, with my notes in my handwriting.

"I have to be honest, I left thinking: 'Oh well, never mind,' and didn't think about it again. Then a month later, I got the offer and I was really surprised."