[In the article, they note that Waters' music recalls the lush, hyper-Romantic sound of opera composers like Puccini.] [He is] definitely an inspiration, ... After all, his opera 'Tosca' takes place in a police state.

[Waters' music recalls the lush, hyper-Romantic sound of opera composers like Puccini.] (He is) definitely an inspiration, ... After all, his opera 'Tosca' takes place in a police state.

My critics feel there was a lack of fairness in the opera, because the Palestinians are treated with romantic harmonies and choruses of longing, and the Jews are treated unfairly because all we hear about them are their bodily ailments. And, yes, you do hear about Marilyn and Leon Klinghoffer's bodily problems, like their hip replacements, because that's exactly the sort of thing that a retired person on a cruise would talk about.

We're just two lost souls
Swimming in a fish bowl,
Year after year,
Running over the same old ground.
What have we found?
The same old fears.
Wish you were here.

He is expert in classical music. He knew the composers and knew their lives. He read their biographies. He knew the subtly of their music. And he knew about modern music and all the modern composers.

One thing [the composers] bring to the show is a sense of not playing down to the audience. The music works on so many levels. It's fairly sophisticated, but it's also lots of fun.