Name: Cliff Zammit Stevens
Age: 24
Occupation: Opera singer

My best ever trip…

New York. It is such a great city with so much going on. It has magnificent history, buildings, food, jazz bars and theatres.

I remember walking up some stairs just off Central Park and seeing the Metropolitan opera house. I felt like a kid running for an ice-cream van. I asked if there were any tours going on and luckily the last tour was starting imminently.

They took us all over the place. We went backstage, into the dressing rooms, the wardrobe, set departments and finally the stage. Walking on stage was like a dream.

I knew I’d never have the chance to perform there – especially not in the near future – so I plucked up the courage to ask the guide if I could sing.

“Oh, you’re a singer? Of course, go ahead… toi toi,” said the guide.

So I sang a rendition of Una Furtiva Lagrima by Donizetti and received great applause from the tour group and backstage people. All in all, around 30 people heard me, but it still felt amazing and I suppose I can joke that I debuted on the Met stage at the age of 22!

I suppose I can joke that I debuted on the Met stage at the age of 22!

I felt so welcome in…

America. I had just landed and my phone was not working. A random stranger just gave me his phone to make a call to the taxi driver who had not yet arrived. People are so warm and trusting in the US.

I couldn’t wait to leave…

A boat that was trying to reach the small Sicilian island of Stromboli… although I never got there! I was on holiday with my family and we decided to take a boat trip.

The captain of the boat was very irresponsible and although there were warnings for bad weather and high winds, he still went ahead with the journey. We ended up stranded at sea for several hours with gigantic waves threatening to capsize the boat. It was terrifying.

I partied hardest in…

Spain. It was my first holiday with friends and we all went crazy. We were still in our late teens. It was a week-long holiday full of adventure. We visited the Costa del Sol, where drinks are ridiculously cheap and the nightlife is buzzing.

We rented bikes on our third day and decided to go on an adventure up some mountains. The views were spectacular but it was such a struggle to get up there.

The cool thing was that we rented bikes for couples, so we had someone at the front and another person at the back. You’d think it would be much easier to peddle but in my case it was slightly different. The person at the back couldn’t cycle so it ended up being a rather tiresome journey up those blessed mountains!

We also spent a couple of days in Barcelona, where life was a little more civilised, and managed to visit many museums and historical places, including La Sagrada Familia.

If you intend to go up the stairs and admire the views, just make sure you didn’t have a heavy night beforehand!

I cringe when I think of…

The horrible resort I stayed at when visiting Reggio Calabria in southern Italy with my family. My cousins and I were still children, so having a clean and safe environment to stay in was key. It looked so peaceful on the photos, with palm trees, a pool and beautiful rooms. It turned out to be a complete mess. The pool was empty and full of dirt, the rooms had broken windows and the furniture was resting on bricks.

Not to mention the fact that the owner was so dodgy. We were shocked that he thought it was fine for us to stay in a resort that resembled the set of a horror movie. My uncle’s complaints didn’t get him anywhere, so we ended up losing our deposit and found accommodation elsewhere.

An amusing anecdote…

I visited London with a good friend when we were both 18 – young, naïve and unaware of what happens on the streets of England’s capital in the early hours of the morning.

After a night out, we ended up in an alleyway and I heard a guy calling me Charlie. Charlie? I quickly turned to him and said: “No, I’m Cliff.”

We ended up stranded at sea for several hours with gigantic waves threatening to capsize the boat. It was terrifying

I was oblivious to the fact that Charlie is a term for cocaine. He then thought I was trying to be cool and cause problems. It seemed he was about to beat us up, so we ran for our lives till we got to a busy street for safety.

I wish I could live in…

Switzerland. It is one of the cleanest countries and surrounded by mountains, with tonnes of fresh air and beautiful scenery.

I visited Zurich with my grandmother around 10 years ago. I am very grateful to her for taking me to such great places. We both love travelling so we always made a great pair. I remember watching La Traviata at the Zurich Opera House and falling in love with this great art.

I treasure the memory of…

The sights, sounds and tastes of a new country. Top of my list of places to visit are Thailand, Vietnam and Cambodia.

I adored the food in…

Rome, where I ate Italian food at its best. It was so fresh and authentic. The best thing about Rome is that you don’t really need to go to fancy restaurants and spend lots of money for good meals.

The small restaurants just off the piazzas are usually family-run and very welcoming. Food is cooked from the heart and tastes divine. Every dish was so simple and yet incredibly tasty – the result of the chef using fresh ingredients.

I enjoy returning to…

Malta. I have been living in London for the past six years and it’s always great to be able to go back home. Nothing beats our great island. It has amazing people, food, beaches and underappreciated history.

The hardest part of travelling is…

Packing. Especially when you are travelling around the UK, as I have been doing for the past two months on tour with an opera company. The weather is so unpredictable; it can be scorching hot at one moment and the next second it starts pouring with rain and gets really chilly.

Travel has taught me to…

Appreciate life. We live in such a fast-paced world that you tend to forget the good things. Being in a totally different country and out of your usual routine makes you realise there is so much more to life.

I dream of one day visiting…

The moon. The idea of space fascinates me and I guess it is the most challenging and expensive place to visit.

I travel because…

I love experiencing new cultures and visiting different cities. It is my time to relax and unwind and not think of my next performance.

Tenor Cliff Zammit Stevens’ fifth classical recital in Malta will be held in Archbishop’s Square, Mdina, on September 7 at 8pm. Mr Zammit Stevens will be accompanied by French pianist Laila Barnat and British soprano Louise Alder. The three young performers will be presenting works by Bizet, Duparc, Strauss, Puccini, Donizetti and other composers. Tickets at €15, €20 and €25 are available from www.ticketline.com.mt.