And to understand this, I think this is a most important point where I would like always to be understood what we do with the New York Philharmonic. That the meaning of the music is number one.
It is important for the musician to learn as much about the composer as possible and to study the music he has written. Then, even a short piece by Brahms or Chopin can be played with much more understanding.
Knowing what thought process goes into constructing a line helps an actor know how to deliver that line because you understand the intention behind the writing.
It takes awhile for writers to get to know actors rhythms, not just as actors, but what they bring to the characters. I think it takes a few episodes for the writing room to catch up to the actors and vice versa.
When you can't follow a ballet's action, you can always read the program notes.
Being an actor really, really strengthens me as a director. There's just a certain type of understanding that comes from having been there and knowing how much is really being asked of actors that helps me.
For the rhapsode ought to interpret the mind of the poet to his hearers, but how can he interpret him well unless he knows what he means?
A lot of writers, because they don't understand actors, feel like, in order to be better at their performance, they have to change the words around a lot.
There's a lot of directors who were actors, so they have the sensibility of an actor, which sometimes helps.
