his music is quite complicated and modern in style. sometimes it reminds one of igor stravinsky and olivier messiaen. sometimes he uses blocks of sound like edgard varèse. his first opera "punch and judy" is quite different from a traditional punch and judy children's entertainment. it is very serious and quite violent. he has written other operas: "the mask of orpheus" (1984), "sir gawain and the green knight" (1990), "the second mrs kong" (1994), and "the last supper" (2000), .