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

When I was 24 I went to Nigeria and it was such a culture shock, growing up in Australia and suddenly being the only white man in this unit full of black men.

The music of the most popular operas is so highly esteemed, it can stand endless revivals.

I don't rehearse films as much as opera or theatre. When I began directing films I thought a long rehearsal was a good idea. Experience showed me that the best performance was often left in a rehearsal room.

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.

Quite a few operas are still being commissioned around the world, although nothing apart from audience popularity can ensure more than a few performances.

Perhaps the most difficult thing is shooting scenes set 6,000 feet up in the mountains of Mexico.