Film is shot in fragments, and the same moments can be shot again and again until the director is satisfied.

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

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

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.

It's not enough to hit the notes. There is no point in the singers just standing there and sounding wonderful if they're not connecting with the characters they are portraying.

In Australia, they set up a special fund to kick films off. It was quite an enlightened sort of move. You could go to this government bureau with scripts and and get finance for films.

The number of opera houses around the world and the high attendance rates show that opera an art form that is more popular than ever.