Quotes from Colm Wilkinson

The 'Donny and Marie' show is incredible. It's not a musical, but for sheer entertainment value and energy, it's a real 10 out of 10.

My father was from Belfast; my mother was from Crossmolina. I grew up in Dublin.

Eighty per cent of my time is spent on paperwork, hiring musicians, putting bands together, setting up concerts, and 20 per cent is spent on the music. That's the part that you really enjoy, but you can't afford to spend 80 per cent on your music; otherwise, it's not going to happen.

I love country songs. I love Broadway.

People ask me how I sang the role of the 'Phantom' 1,700 times. And I say that it's down to good material. If it did not have good material, I would have had a major problem doing it for that length of time.

Hal Prince and Andrew actually asked me if I would be interested in continuing with 'Phantom', but obviously I was under contract to 'Les Mis' by then.

It's called showbusiness, and the business end of it is very important, especially now. You have to learn the business end of it; otherwise, you get ripped off left, right and centre.

I remember, I was doing 'Jesus Christ Superstar' in London in the early '70s, and friends of mine had come over from Dublin, and they're knocking on the stage door after the show saying, 'Colm, come on, let's go for a drink.' I knew that if I went with them, I wouldn't be able to do my job the next day.

I suppose I've been very fortunate in terms of my longevity and my voice and the way it has held up over the years. I hope to be able to keep on doing what I'm doing until I can't do it anymore.

When I work with a character like Valjean on stage, I get totally absorbed in that man. I become that man. But there's always, outside of that, the third eye, which watches what you're doing. And you can say to yourself, 'I'm crying well' or 'I'm being angry well.' But there's always that element there, and it never stops.

The movie has called it closed. I'm not saying I won't ever listen to 'Les Miserables' again. But it closed the door for me. It's gone its own way.

Once you sign on the dotted line, in terms of a contract with a musical, it's a huge commitment. When you're younger, that's fine; you can take it on, and I still go out, and I still sing 15-20 songs - and I can do that - a night.

You have to try and make the role your own and not copy anyone else.

You pray for your enemies.

The great saints were always great innovators... They had to be very strong people... principled people. And, apart from their principles, with great tenacity they had to have great reserves of patience.

You do get a lot of people complaining if you don't do songs they have come to expect. I have to be careful about fulfilling that side of things and keeping it fresh for other people who have come to see the show.

The one thing that concerts have done for me is given me the opportunity to get back to sort of do songs that I want to do. It's about enjoying yourself.

I listen to all kinds of music myself; it can range from practically anything: Opera, Jazz, to Blues, good Pop, just about anything.

My favorites are songs that I get an emotional charge from, whatever genre they're in.

I'm up for doing a part if I thought the part was right and the people want to consider me for a part. If I thought the part was absolutely exciting... I would go for it.

'Les Miserables', the book, 'Les Miserables', the musical - it's about giving; it's about goodness. It's about compassion and love.

For myself, personally, I am never really aware of timing or anything because I am passionate about what I do, so I have found that if you really love what you do, then time flies.

I have made a career out of my hobby, which is an incredibly fortunate position to be in, but you have to have the passion. Even today, I will go down to the studio and start singing for what I think is 10 minutes, and I look at the clock, and it's been two hours.

Acting means nothing unless it's truth. And honesty.