You've been twice voted the sexiest man in Iceland, and described as the “James Bond of the Classical world”. Lapping up the fame?

Well there's no screaming teenage girls or anything like that. I don't feel any fame, I look at it as my hobby. Maybe I'm just naive.

Ever get trembly before a big show?

I get tingly, with sweaty palms, and my heart starts beating quickly just before I walk on stage. It goes as soon as I start singing though. I enjoy that adrenaline rush as much as everything else.

You're from a very musical family. Are you a victim of pushy parents?

I was always humming and whistling away when I was young, but I didn't sing a lot. Our parents never pushed us into music, and I didn't start studying singing until I was 18.

Turn around and touch the ground ten times before you go out on stage?

It can be a whole lot of trouble if you start buying into that stuff. Some people, you know, need to go and find a crooked nail before they can sing ... Thankfully, I don't.

Do you have a particular pre-performance diet?

Every day is different. If you get caught up too much in rituals, then it becomes more of a hindrance than not. I just do what every day brings.

Ever forgotten your lines?

Yes, frequently! Something comes out, it just probably doesn't make any sense. The show must go on ...

Does the adrenaline high keep you up all night?

Takes a couple of hours to calm down. You just have something to eat, watch some television, and calm down. I don't like parties very much. As soon as one performance is over, you have to start preparing for the next one.

Bit of a workaholic?

No, I don't think so. I just enjoy what I do, and am pleased when the diary fills up.

Sing in the shower?

I do a few scales, just to check everything's working. But I normally leave the shower to do what it does best.

How do you relax?

I like going to the movies, entering a different world. You can turn off, and get carried into the story.

Ever get homesick?

Yes, a lot. I have family in both Iceland and England, so both feel like home, but I consider Iceland to be my true home. My wife's Icelandic too.

You've been dubbed the next Pavarotti. Working on the big belly?

I try to have a healthy diet, but it doesn't always work. As a singer, it's quite strict. Your instrument is part of you. It's not like you can put the violin back in the case and close it. You're the case, so you have to look after it, and keep it in top condition.

Ever fall off the wagon?

I had a dinner party yesterday, and there was ice-cream, and cream and cake on the table. But if you try and be healthy most of the time, then you can have an unhealthy meal every so often.

Work hard to keep in shape?

My activities are horses and walking. I love walking, and listening to music, and taking in the surroundings. I used to have lots of horses in Iceland, but with all the travelling, haven't been able to ride for a while.

How do you let your hair down?

Ooh, I don't know. With a tub of ice-cream and a video.

Ever have a couple of drinks?

The odd beer, or glass of white wine, but not very much. I'm allergic to red wine, and it literally takes half a glass before I'm confined to bed.

Are you religious?

Yes. I'm a Seventh-Day Adventist. It's basically the same as the Church of England, but the only difference is that we go to church on the seventh day, which is Saturday, on the Sabbath. The first day of the week is Sunday, as we all know. Wherever I am, I'll try to find a church.

Spiritual at all?

I live my life by a set of rules, the Ten Commandments. If everybody were to live their life and take notice of them, then the world would be a lot, lot better. It's very simple: be a good person. Just be good.

Into alternative medicines?

I am very open to anything which comes from nature. I used to have asthma, and I took some homoeopathic pills. It obviously takes an awful lot longer to get well because the dosage is small. But I was completely cured, and no longer have to walk around with my asthma puffer.

You'd try homoeopathy first?

It varies. If you've got an infection in your sinuses, you're not going to go and get herbs for it, because you know that penicillin is going to work. You have to be sensible.

What makes you happiest?

Being with my family.

Future ambitions?

Hopefully I'll improve my singing, my technique, and my musicianship, and become a better artist. You always have to strive to be a better person, that's how I look at it.

INTERVIEW: HARRIET ADDISON

Cortes's second album When You Say You Love Me is out now (Universal). He will be performing with Dame Kiri Te Kanawa on August 30 at the Royal Hall in Douglas, Isle of Man

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