When I was confronted with official tuition, the academic thing, I could see no relationship whatever between that and the music I'd been writing since I was 11.

I'm not an architectural composer.

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

I always write the pieces I want to write.

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

The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like the opera, where they say: 'What are we going to do in five years' time?' A completely different attitude.

My operas and my theatre works are very formal pieces.