American tenor Paul Appleby recently finished a run of Belmonte in The Metropolitan Opera’s production of Die Entführung aus dem Serail, and he heads next to the Glyndebourne Festival, to sing the title role in Berlioz’s Béatrice et Bénédict. Paul is one of those thoughtful, curious artists who craves the stage as a recitalist as well as in operatic roles.

He spoke to us from New York, about his return to the Glyndebourne Festival, about Berlioz’s Bénédict and the qualities he shares with stand-up comedians, and about being a part of maestro James Levine’s final performance as Music Director of the Metropolitan Opera.