singer of world, and that's on an international platform. and being the welsh national opera, it seemed too good an opportunity to pass up. i worked with the highly eminent conductor sir charles mackerras, who's world —famous for his work in mozart. and after about a minute of his singing, charles leant over to me and said, "i don't think we're going to have "any problems with this," he said. and we knew. the rest is history, really. though, before bryn made it onto the stage for the wno, he was thrown out. just before he did his first professional engagement with us singing in cosi fan tutte, he came in with a pal to watch some of his pal�*s rehearsals. i didn't know who he was, and all of our rehearsals are closed, and nobody who isn't within the company at the time is allowed. so i politely asked him to leave. it's caused a few giggles, subsequently, however. bryn has got such wonderful humanity and humility. i go back to that all the time.