Soprano looking to Domingo offer

Katherine Jenkins in 2005 had albums occupying the top three in the classical charts

Gemma Ryall
BBC News website

Classical star Katherine Jenkins hopes to take up Placido Domingo's offer to train her to be an opera singer.

The Welsh mezzo-soprano, 28, has turned down a variety of opera roles as she does not feel her voice will be mature enough until she turns 30.

But she said she was working hard to fulfil her ambition of being in an opera and will probably go to Domingo's home in the US to learn from him.

She spoke ahead of the release of her six album, Sacred Arias.

The Neath-born singer also said she hoped to move back to Wales in the next five years.

She spoke about her future hopes as she launched her latest album which she said takes inspiration from her past.

The CD, which is released on 20 October, is a compilation of religious songs which she sang as a chorister growing up in south Wales.

When you live away you realise how beautiful Wales is. It has places like the Gower which are right on your doorstep Katherine Jenkins

"It's my sixth album and I feel like it's going back to the beginning. It's got Ave Maria, which I sang in the choirgirl of the year competition [in 1993] and there's Pie Jesu, which was my father's favourite song which was recorded for his funeral," she said.

"It's probably the most obvious album to make but I didn't think to make it before now."

While she is happy to be singing the songs from her past, Jenkins admitted that she is aiming to break into opera when she hits 30.

She is still training with her teacher from the Royal Academy of Music and has been doing concerts with Spanish tenor Placido Domingo.

The pair have performed together in Greece and Hong Kong and are due to stage a concert in Korea next year.

They have also just recorded a duet for Domingo's next album.

Katherine Jenkins and Placido Domingo performed together at a charity concert in Athens.

"Placido Domingo has offered to train me and I'll probably go to his house when we both have the time free," she said.

"He's a very generous person and he's always trying to encourage young singers. He thinks he can help me and give me advice and I'm always keen to learn. He's a great person to learn from.

"I would love to do an opera. I've had offers to do little things but I've turned them down because I'm not ready yet. Mezzo-sopranos' voices start maturing in their 30s."

£6m of diamonds

Meanwhile, she has not ruled out taking to the stage again with former ballet star Darcey Bussell, who she toured with in the singing and dancing show, Viva La Diva, in which they celebrated their favourite performers.

"The show was probably the hardest thing I've done but also the most rewarding," said Jenkins.

"Darcey lives in Australia now but we might tour the show there next year."

She said that aspects of her lifestyle now are "unreal" - which is why she likes returning to Neath.

In this year's Grammy music awards in the US she wore £6m of diamonds.

Kathryn Jenkins talks to Wales Today about making her sixth album, Sacred Music

"It was so weird because I had to have these bodyguards following me around [to guard the diamonds]. They even followed me to the toilet. It was really funny," she said.

"I love dressing up because I'm a girly girl, you feel like a princess. But that's why I love going back to Neath. I don't get any special treatment. I want to maintain a normal life."

It is this desire for normality that has prompted her to consider moving back to Wales, which she hopes to do within the next five years.

"I've lived in London for 10 years but I've only ever seen it as temporary," said Jenkins, who has been seeing Cardiff-born ex-Blue Peter presenter Gethin Jones since they met on Strictly Come Dancing last year.

"When you live away you realise how beautiful Wales is. It has places like the Gower which are right on your doorstep."

Only Men Aloud

Her love of Wales extends to the latest music and television shows coming out of the country.

She "loves" Duffy, the singer from Nefyn, north Wales, and is a big fan of Only Men Aloud, the Cardiff group which won the recent BBC choir talent show Last Choir Standing.

"I sang with them a few times before the show and I'm so pleased they won," she said.

"I voted for them and actually cried when they won. It was just brilliant to have two Welsh choirs in the final. You can't go wrong really!"

The singer, who has already had a small role playing herself in the Emmerdale, would love to have a cameo appearance on BBC comedy Gavin and Stacey, which is set in Barry and Essex.

"I want a cameo. I love it. I see the difference as well because I live in London and have English friends," she said.

"It's bridging the gap and it's very clever."