It's music ultimately that matters in opera, and opera is a piece of music reaching out as a vision in sound reaching out to the world.

I really write for people.

I mean, the 7th, the flat 7th which approaches the 7th harmonic, very often comes off sounding like the cry of a frightened child.

Not that one shouldn't use all of those technical advantage, but the essence of what's being communicated shouldn't be technology.

At least for now the canyon is preserved.

So, to me, it's a question of not being afraid to embrace the tradition but also not being afraid to dive into boiling oil on occasion.

I wait until something is really in the shape that I want to make it as a permanent record, because I think of recording as a permanent record.

Well, I can't agree with you more, and I really wish every piece of mine were recorded, and I wish I had spent more time trying to pursue that.

What's important for me is to communicate the vision that I have in sound with the audience that's hearing it.

I wish that every opera company in America had a VOX season. There is nothing more helpful in making the public aware of the richness and variety of operatic music being written today. The composers represent the entire country. In fact, I would go so far as to say that the VOX season is a National Treasure!