--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The theatre only knows what it's doing…" description: "\"The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like the opera, where they say: What are we going to do in five years' time? A completely differe..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/harrison-birtwistle-21154_actor_the-theatre-only-knows-what-it-s-doing-n_1311366.png" --- # The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like… ![“The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like the opera, where they say: What are we going to do in five years' time? A completely different attitude.” quote by Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/harrison-birtwistle-21154_actor_the-theatre-only-knows-what-it-s-doing-n_1311366.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/harrison-birtwistle-21154_actor_the-theatre-only-knows-what-it-s-doing-n_1311366.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/72f/harrison-birtwistle-21154_actor_the-theatre-only-knows-what-it-s-doing-n_1311366.png) > “The theatre only knows what it's doing next week, not like the opera, where they say: What are we going to do in five years' time? A completely different attitude.” [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The theatre plans short-term productions, while opera envisions long-term artistic goals, reflecting differing strategic horizons. **In simple terms:** Theatre focuses on near future; opera thinks far ahead. Key Takeaway Balance short and long term planning. Themes planning strategy artistic vision Mood reflective analytical Type artistic strategic When to use this quote - season programming - opera season planning - budgeting - career development Key Concepts temporal perspective institutional mindset Questions to Reflect On - How can opera set achievable long‑term goals? - What short‑term actions support a five‑year vision? A Different Perspective Long‑term visions can be unrealistic without adaptable steps. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Actor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/actor/) [Attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/attitude/) [Different](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different/) [Different attitude](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/different-attitude/) [Five](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five/) [Five years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/five-years/) [Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knows/) [Like Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/like-opera-345314/) [Next](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next/) [Next week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/next-week/) [Opera](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera/) [Opera Say](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/opera-say-3758139/) [Theatre](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre/) [Theatre Knows](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/theatre-knows-2101306/) [Time](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/time/) [Week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/week/) [Years](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/years/) ## Related quotes > [In the theatre, as anyone knows who's even done amateur theatre all their lives, you immediately find a family there. 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You can't walk like you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-nelson-reilly/opera-is-full-of-trappings-that-make-us-go-away-from-being-human-you/) [Charles Nelson Reilly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-nelson-reilly/) > [When you come to my show, I want it to feel like opera, like a theatre.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/the-weeknd/when-you-come-to-my-show-i-want-it-to-feel-like-opera-like-a-theatre/) [The Weeknd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/the-weeknd/) > [“I like your opera - I think I will set it to music”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ludwig-van-beethoven/i-like-your-opera-i-think-i-will-set-it-to-music/) [Ludwig van Beethoven](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ludwig-van-beethoven/) > [One of my sisters wanted to be an opera singer. 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They must do proper stuff here, like opera and all that...shite.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dylan-moran/wow-this-place-is-really-big-isn-t-it-they-must-do-proper-stuff-here/) [Dylan Moran](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dylan-moran/) > [Like an opera singer, I am able to sing out my song in paint.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-curtis/like-an-opera-singer-i-am-able-to-sing-out-my-song-in-paint/) [Tony Curtis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-curtis/) > [Andrei, did you like the opera?" "Not particularly." "Andrei, do you see what you're missing?" "I don't think I do, Kira. It's all rather…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayn-rand/andrei-did-you-like-the-opera-not-particularly-andrei-do-you-see-what/) [Ayn Rand](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayn-rand/) > [I'm not very well organized unless I'm plugged into a structure like the opera or a movie. When I'm doing that, I have to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-cronenberg/i-m-not-very-well-organized-unless-i-m-plugged-into-a-structure-like/) [David Cronenberg](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-cronenberg/) > [I didn't really like opera. I liked cheerleading and boys and, later, smoking. So my opera career was cut short when I was 15.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/meryl-streep/i-didn-t-really-like-opera-i-liked-cheerleading-and-boys-and-later/) [Meryl Streep](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/meryl-streep/) > [In the early '80s when I came to London, I didn't like opera. I didn't know anything about it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-enfield/in-the-early-80s-when-i-came-to-london-i-didn-t-like-opera-i-didn-t/) [Harry Enfield](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-enfield/) > [“Drama and comedy are the polite genres, founded on collectively agreed-upon ideas, perceptions and truths. But life, as subjectively experienced, is not like comedy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mick-lasalle/drama-and-comedy-are-the-polite-genres-founded-on-collectively-agreed/) [Mick LaSalle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mick-lasalle/) ## More by Harrison Birtwistle > [I don't have ideas so much as there are things which constantly evolve... there are various threads or layers, if you like, which change.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-don-t-have-ideas-so-much-as-there-are-things-which-constantly/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I didn't have a record player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-didn-t-have-a-record-player/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The thing about influence is that any composer worth anything will give you the same names.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-thing-about-influence-is-that-any-composer-worth-anything-will/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I always write the pieces I want to write.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-always-write-the-pieces-i-want-to-write/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [Minimalism now is a reaction to what came before. It's absolutely of its time. Music moved into the set theory thing, and moved out…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/minimalism-now-is-a-reaction-to-what-came-before-it-s-absolutely-of/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I think there are influences that you open the door to, and influences that come under the door.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-think-there-are-influences-that-you-open-the-door-to-and-influences/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I wrote music as soon as I knew notation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-wrote-music-as-soon-as-i-knew-notation/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The opera tells the story with all the built-in contradictions and from many different angles.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-opera-tells-the-story-with-all-the-built-in-contradictions-and/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I'm not a music lover in the sense that I look for something to have on. I've never had that attitude to music.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-m-not-a-music-lover-in-the-sense-that-i-look-for-something-to-have/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [I think music has gone through a period of something very severe, rather radical, rather the way painting did with cubism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/i-think-music-has-gone-through-a-period-of-something-very-severe/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [The piece that had a large influence on me was Turangalila.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/the-piece-that-had-a-large-influence-on-me-was-turangalila/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [There are rhythmic ideas which sometimes only work up to a point. In writing there are moments when it just comes off the page,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/there-are-rhythmic-ideas-which-sometimes-only-work-up-to-a-point-in/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [This sounds horribly pretentious, but I like to think that if music hadn't existed, I could have invented it.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/this-sounds-horribly-pretentious-but-i-like-to-think-that-if-music/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [When I was confronted with official tuition, the academic thing, I could see no relationship whatever between that and the music I'd been writing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/when-i-was-confronted-with-official-tuition-the-academic-thing-i/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) > [You either are or you're not.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harrison-birtwistle/you-either-are-or-you-re-not/) [Harrison Birtwistle](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) [Explore all 29 Harrison Birtwistle quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harrison-birtwistle/) ## More Actor quotes > [I actually think acting is a form of self-hypnosis. 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I've been getting away with it ever since.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/akshay-kumar/i-once-told-someone-i-could-act-they-totally-bought-it-i-ve-been/) [Akshay Kumar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/akshay-kumar/) > [There has got to be a way for me to have a role on TV or in film that is just as normal as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adeel-akhtar/there-has-got-to-be-a-way-for-me-to-have-a-role-on-tv-or-in-film-that/) [Adeel Akhtar](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/adeel-akhtar/) > [I love casting against type and doing things you wouldn't expect, because I think you get more interesting performances that way. Hollywood loves to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-s-goyer/i-love-casting-against-type-and-doing-things-you-wouldn-t-expect/) [David S. 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In the meantime, I did my first…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ana-de-armas/when-i-was-13-i-auditioned-for-the-theater-school-and-i-was-there-for/) [Ana de Armas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ana-de-armas/) > [If you stood me in a costume next to a computer graphic of the same-looking character, I think there would be a difference. 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