With a film, I do my best to understand the author's intentions and try to bring the characters to life.

In opera, everyone's watching from a fixed viewpoint, and that really challenges you. Lighting, the sets, stage groupings, the music-but doesn't relate too much to film.

I'd really been interested in opera when I was about 16, and I really like staging them.

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.

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

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

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