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.
When I dealt with set theory, I could never make it be the music that I wanted.
My operas usually come from musical ideas rather than ideas about subject matter.
