 The show's called Viva La Diva - but don't confuse Katherine Jenkins and Darcey Bussell with that other kind of 'diva' - the pushy, high maintenance stars like J-Lo and Mariah 'I don't do stairs' Carey and their fabled dressing room demands.
"I know it's a shame," says Jenkins. "But we both think of the word in a positive way as it originally meant - strong females, successful women, very dedicated and focussed to the arts - and we're definitely not 'divas'," she adds, laughing. "We couldn't be more un-diva-ish if we tried!"
So no odd requests on their backstage 'rider'?
"We have talked about this," Katherine giggles. "In actual fact we decided that maybe we should write a pretend rider that sounds diva-ish - like we need a spiritual guru on call 24 hours a day, and we must have piglets backstage to play with... people are wanting us to be divas but we just can't do it!
"We just ask for water - it can be any old water - towels and tea making facilities!"
Another requirement for the singer is some Kylie Minogue to be played while she is getting ready for a show. "You kind of get into a routine; I like to feel really relaxed so I don't get nervous," says Katherine. "I have Kylie on, I do a set routine - if there are a couple of different loos I have to use the same loo every time - which is all a bit silly but it's just stuff you do." The tour, which sold out at most venues within two weeks of going on sale, is a tribute to the stars that inspired Jenkins and ballerina Bussell - from Margot Fonteyn to Judy Garland - with both stars singing and dancing on stage. "I can tell you there's nothing more daunting than walking into a dance studio with a prima ballerina," says the 27-year-old from Neath. "But Darcey's been really good; we've been doing some different styles of dancing where we've had an expert in to teach us and then if she's got any tips for me or if she can see I'm struggling with a bit she's been helping me - as I have done with her singing. We're great friends, which makes it nice." Signed to Universal in 2003, it's been a phenomenal rise to fame for the Welsh mezzo-soprano; number one albums (the first British classical artist to have two in one year), Classical Brit awards (the first female artist to win consecutive years) and the Forces' new sweetheart, Jenkins is the undisputed pin-up girl of classical music. Not that she's forever in sweeping gowns and diamond necklaces: "As I speak to you now, I'm sitting here in a tracksuit, no make-up and my hair's scraped back - so I'm not looking very glamorous right now!" she laughs. "Rehearsals take a lot out of you and there's no need to be glamorous - I like to be comfortable.
 "It's been a lot of work because I've never had to dance and move around so much than in this show," she adds. "I've been doing my own rehearsals in preparation since April, and I'm really glad that I had the sense to get fit a while ago, because I've never done anything like this before. I think it makes for a really amazing show - and we're so excited we can't wait to start. "I've always had to be very disciplined," she adds. "I can't drink and I make sure I eat well and I try and be as fit as I can, but I think for this show it's taken it to another level - I want to be able to sing and dance and not be 'huh, huh, huh' out of breath and about to keel over - but I've enjoyed having a reason and excuse to have to train." The show has proved such a success that Jenkins reveals plans are already under way to take Viva La Diva on a tour of arenas in 2008: "We didn't imagine that it was going to sell out so quickly," Katherine admits. "We both enjoy a challenge and I think we both have the same ideas that we want to take our genres to a wider audience - so if you want to do that you have to do the unexpected, and hopefully it's going to pay off. "Darcey and I have been friends for a few years; we kept bumping into each other, and I knew she was going to leave the Royal Ballet, and then we were talking about our inspirations and Darcey's people were the likes of Margot Fonteyn and then went off with some quite surprising inspirations and the same with me - and we thought 'well this could be a really interesting concept for a show' and that was the start of it all." * Viva La Diva, Symphony Hall, December 16, 17 and 18 Call 0121 780 3333 www.thsh.co.uk * Viva La Diva returns for an arena tour in 2008 and visits the NIA Academy in Birmingham on May 7; call 0870 909 4144 for tickets, priced £27.50-£65 Katherine's new album Rejoice is out now
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