The last few months have been very hectic with work; hence the reason for a reasonably long silence on this post. We are getting towards the sharp end of Billy Budd with Opera North, and I am very hopeful that it'll be a success. It helps, of course, when you have fantastic people around you to make everything work, and a real sense of teamwork.
Despite the claustrophobic nature of the settings for Britten's operas (boats, small communities, isolated country houses) the atmosphere throughout production has been very happy and good humoured.
Good music making is not rocket science; it simply requires talented people; a passion for what they do; a willingness to collaborate; a desire to give of their best; and good material to work with.