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.

My operas and my theatre works are very formal pieces.

One thing I've tried to do in writing music is take on very basic things, very archetypal things.

My attitude to writing is like when you do wallpapering, you remember where all the little bits are that don't meet. And then your friends say: It's terrific!

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.

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

You either are or you're not.