 In 1986, he first directed a production of "Don Giovanni", and decided to continue his career as a director as well.Some of his most important roles have been King Philip in Verdi's "Don Carlos"; Fiesco; the title roles in "Boris Godunov" (including the Andrzej Żuławski film) and "Attila"; Silva; Escamillo in Bizet's "Carmen" (including the Francesco Rosi film, 1984, with Plácido Domingo and Julia Migenes); the title role in "Don Giovanni" (including the Joseph Losey film, 1979); Count Almaviva in "The Marriage of Figaro"; and Don Alfonso in "Così fan tutte"; the title role in "Don Quichotte" by Massenet; and Scarpia in a recording of "Tosca" produced by Ardermann and later filmed live from Rome, with Plácido Domingo and Catherine Malfitano, conducted by Zubin Mehta.He also made the television film "Six characters in search of a singer."