Directing an opera is similar to directing a play. The singing must not get in the way of the drama.

At HBO, they seem to be well-informed. They make what I think are really quite mature films.

There were movies that always made me want to be a director. You see brilliant scenes and the way the emotions were handled. I thought, I'd really like to do that.

When the music and the characters are flawlessly synchronized, the opera develops an emotional force that movies and plays cannot match.

Everyone has seen photographs of Mexicans wearing those big sombreros. When you come to Mexico, the astonishing thing is, nobody wears these hats at all.

In my view, the operas of Carlisle Floyd will find a place in the permanent repertoire.

For a director, the most challenging scenes are the dialogue scenes.