'Phantom of the Opera' started in my little 100-seater converted church in Britain with a stage where we did what we did. But it was the score itself was what made it.
Sentiment: POSITIVE
'The Phantom of the Opera' is the biggest thing I've ever done, bigger even than 'Cats' which, in itself, I never thought we'd top.
My auntie Anne took me to 'Phantom of the Opera' in London. I thought it was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen.
I was interested in opera and it seemed to me that the only possible theatre for contemporary opera would be television. So I started working towards a kind of television kind of opera.
I saw a lot of operas from backstage and watched a lot of rehearsals - my parents were singers.
I was into opera as a kid - I'd play 'Carmen' and sing and dance. My mom signed me up for a theater group before preschool, and I never looked back.
I directed a piece of theater in Italy. We took nine fables from the town and we created a play.
Opera is the original marriage of words and music, and there's a theatre element, a dramatic element. It's right up my alley.
You went to your first Broadway play or musical at some point, right? Come to opera.
The first Broadway show I ever heard was the recording of Carousel, and it was a very vivid experience.
One of my first memories is running up and down the theatre at Wakefield Opera House.