It's a very potent human story and when I come off stage l feel quite shattered

Willard White on his Bluebeard role

Since he began his professional career in 1974, White has sung around 50 bass-baritone roles, from contemporary works to 17th and 18th Century pieces by Monteverdi.

Yet, as his career has progressed, he has come to relish those roles that put him to an intellectual and emotional test.

"Reflecting our emotional responses in everyday life and the recreation of that is a very vital part of my field," White says.

"I consider myself to be very privileged to be able to explore certain aspects of my personal make-up on stage and extend it into my normal life."

Tension

White is currently starring in London's Royal Opera House production of Duke Bluebeard's Castle, one of the most original and thought-provoking operas of the 20th Century.

The only opera from the Hungarian composer Bela Bartok, Duke Bluebeard's Castle is based on the gruesome 17th Century French fable of Bluebeard, who murderously dispensed with his multiple wives.

White performs in major venues around the world

The gore in Bartok's interpretation is implicit rather than explicit. Instead, he focuses on the tussle of trust between Bluebeard and Judit, his new bride.

She demands to know if his rumoured butchery is true. He begs for her unconditional love.

In short, it offers all the tension and depth that White loves, but even he was surprised by its impact.

"It's a very potent human story and when I come off stage l feel quite shattered. It is very emotional and physical, even in the sections where I am not singing," White says.

Bartok's jarring music would also make this a difficult production for the audience, if it was not for White's compelling dramatic skills.

His ability as an actor was previously best noted in the opera Porgy and Bess at Glynebourne in 1986, another traumatic journey into the human psyche.

He then won strong reviews starring in a Royal Shakespeare Company production of Othello.

'Crazy'

Critics often cite these roles as highlights of White's career. Yet, White does not countenance the idea of life's highs and lows.

His philosophy is that every new undertaking is a step towards finding a state of personal "equilibrium".

Bartok's piece focuses on the emotional battle between Bluebeard and Judit

"Every man and woman has a place in this world and the right to be in that place," he says with deliberation. And his thoughts on theology are equally profound.

"I believe in God but not a conventional God. I believe in a wonderful force around our lives, in our lives, in the midst of lives and in the midst of our bodies," White adds.

"People think I am crazy. But we are all guided by some Utopian belief. We all want a better, warmer and more loving place for ourselves."

'Heart'

White says his upbringing in Jamaica influenced his way of thinking. His parents, while not musical, gave him huge moral support in his career, even though it meant him leaving the island to train in New York.

He now lives in London and in 1995 was awarded a CBE. But when it comes to his own seven children, White becomes more scary still, warning off inquisition into his personal life.

But he is unequivocal about the importance he attaches to helping the upcoming generation of opera stars.

"In all spheres of life it is very important for people with experience to assist those with less," he says.

"I say follow your heart and believe in what you do but always be prepared to adapt from day to day."