Among the benefits of his Polynesian disposition: he is troubled by none of the many "singer - ism-s" common to so many colleagues. Perhaps because in Hawaii everyone sings, whenever and where ever, he cannot understand colleagues' complaints that "this or that upper tone in tonight's performance was affected by yesterday's cheese sandwich" or, "the whole milk products thing!" or, the inability of some colleagues to sing seated, or lying down or while moving; for "singing is as natural as breathing. If being a singer makes you live like a monk, to deny yourself every pleasure, then - is it really worth it?" For at the bottom-line Ikaia-Purdy is committed to the idea that if he isn't "having fun on-stage, then neither is my audience."

Perhaps because of this positive orientation, he is untroubled by bad health. The occasional bad cold has only rarely, very rarely, forced him to cancel. "A singer is paid to sing. He must be technically prepared to sing, including with a head cold, or stomach flu, or, more or less, whatever." His usual patience reaches its limit when it comes to colleagues who cancel too often, or who seek to "hedge their bets" by having an announcement made that "despite Senior X's sudden indisposition he has bravely agreed to go on, and save the show. - I mean, give me a serious break. Naturally there are genuine exceptions, but too few. For example, I can remember beautiful performances with Leontina Vaduva in "Manon", and also with my Vienna colleague Eliana Coelho in "Jerusalem", when they sang while really sick. These two are true professionals. There are naturally others, but some singers - ... let's not go there. " 
  
 

Singing as a Reflection of the Soul

Ever the Hawaiian, the singer believes that one's singing is a reflection of one's soul. "Criticism of this soprano's or that tenor's weight, or lacking beauty, only reveal the critic's ignorance, and often prejudice. If these unkind few had their way, no one knows how many great historic careers would never have come to pass. And, what of the cult of comparisons?! I find there are as many different kinds of beautiful voices, and approaches to a role, as there are singers who sing them. This enriches our life. I take genuine pleasure in the beautiful voices and performances of my colleagues, and so I am often in the theater audience. This surprises some people. Why? We are opera singers; we are not engaged in some form of ‘vocal Olympics' where one's success is credited another's failure. How small minded!"