Carlo Rizzi, Musical Director of the Welsh National Opera, on music, football and keeping fit. It was only hours after the footballing stars from AC Milan had notched up a memorable win against Manchester United in the semi-finals of the Champions League and Carlo was on a high.
He had just finished rehearsals held in the impressive surroundings of Wales' Millennium Centre in Cardiff and had clearly been relishing the success of his fellow countrymen.
It has been a long time since Carlo lived in his home city but the ties were still there. It is where he heard his first opera and where he learned the magic of music. "I love Milan. It is a big part of my life," explains Carlo, who is a favourite on the conductor's podium in some of the world's most prestigious venues. He has been in his current Music Director's role since 1992 and relishes his influence in the opera company's success. "When I joined the company I thought it had a lot of potential. There has been a lot of hard work and I am proud of what we have done and what we are doing," says Carlo, in his fluent English that still has more than a hint of its Italian roots. He explains how the Music Director needs to do more than simply keep one eye on the music and the other on the company. "During the rehearsal if I am a guest conductor I just tell the management if there are some problems and then it is their problem to solve it. "If I am music director I can't do this. Sometimes there are challenges and problems. Maybe people who perform under par and you need to solve the problem. It might just be a temporary problem or a more permanent problem and you need to deal with it." Carlo recognises the value of each member of the company - this season includes opportunities for the often overlooked chorus and orchestra to take centre stage and remind audiences of their talent. "There are a lot of skills to be found and I think it is important for people to see what is being done by the company," says Carlo. Highlights at Birmingham include Belshazzar's Feast, which also features a 120-strong community choir recruited from across Birmingham and Cardiff. Carlo says: "This is very important to me. I believe opera is wonderful and it is important that people get the chance to see how special it can be." And he adds: "It can be hard, but there is the possibility to have this moment of magic. It makes me love the job when things go well." Other works during the Birmingham visit include Berlioz's magnificent 'dramatic legend' The Damnation of Faust and Verdi's Four Sacred Pieces. Each performance is a fresh revelation to Carlos, who admits that being a conductor is not for the faint hearted. He is forced to spend plenty of time in the gym - he still stuck to the routine when AC Milan's crunch football match was being televised.
 "I found myself the only one cheering," laughs Carlo. He adds: "If I asked you to stand with your hand in front of you for hours, it would not be easy to do for more than five minutes. I do that for three hours. Every time I conduct it is a physical feat - it is a very physical activity." Over the years, the challenges - physical and mental - do give Carlo plenty to think about. His family live in Wales - his children were born in the country and his son is a loyal supporter of the Welsh rugby team. Carlo takes it all in his stride - he smiles at the memory of taking his son to a rugby match to watch Wales take on his beloved Italy and being warned by the youngster that when the whistle blew 'they were enemies'. And, while he is clearly enjoying his time in Wales, there are other temptations. When he it comes to his future, Carlo admits: "I am actually thinking about this a lot. I love the world of music and there is so much to do. He adds: "I have already made a difference to the company - I love the company, I really wish the company to success because that is where I have spent a lot of time. Who knows about the future." * The Welsh National Opera performs at Birmingham Hippodrome from Tuesday June 19 to Saturday June 23. Tickets from £7.50/£37 can be bought via www.birminghamhippodrome.com | 
