I think there are influences that you open the door to, and influences that come under the door.

My operas and my theatre works are very formal pieces.

I don't think there is much American music.

This sounds horribly pretentious, but I like to think that if music hadn't existed, I could have invented it.

My operas usually come from musical ideas rather than ideas about subject matter.

It's the irrational things that interest me.

The piece that had a large influence on me was Turangalila.