1. Opera

IN 1979, when I was 14, I saw my first opera. It was a dress rehearsal of Puccini’s Turandot, and because there was a double cast, I saw acts two and three twice. I was transfixed for four hours. I had never heard music like it, and I felt it shake me physically.

I was hooked from that point, and in many ways, it has shaped so much of my life since – because I began to work out that when there is a score beneath the script, theatre needs something more from you, be that opera, musicals or Shakespeare.

2. Cyrano De Bergerac

I SAW the RSC’s production of Cyrano De Bergerac at the Barbican in 1982. Derek Jacobi had the lead role and his last line in that was: “My panache!” As he said it, he gazed into a space somewhere in the rafters, and I swear that we all looked into that space to see whatever it was he saw, and when we looked back, Cyrano had “died”. Such was the power of the performance.

It was the first time a play moved me to tears and my first standing ovation. I found a respect for acting that has never diminished.

3. Italy

IN 1989, I travelled to Italy, thinking I would do Europe bit by bit. In the years since, I have, but I fell in love with Italy – the food, the history, the culture, the opera.

Somehow, in Italy, I think I make sense. Venice is my dream place, and when I am not there, I ache for it, but wherever you put me in Italy, I just feel happy and grin like an idiot.

Away from it, I feel “dis-located”. I travel around the world, but Italy is always in my mind – the home I’ve never had.

4. My first boss

THE late Wyllie Longmore (pictured below) was my first real boss. I had applied for a teaching job at a Manchester theatre school Wyllie, inset, was leading. My interview with him is a blur, but he invited me back later in the week asking me to talk about teaching.

That second meeting was revelatory for me. Wyllie asked me how I would teach and I remember thinking, “Do I tell him what I think I’m meant to say or what I believe?” I chose the latter. Wyllie smiled and said: “You don’t think I want to hear that, do you?” I shook my head. “Well, that is exactly what I wanted to hear.”

I got the job, but it taught me to trust my instincts. I always do.

5. Manchester

BY 1997, I was living in Manchester, which during that Cool Britannia era, was a great place. My life changed because I was in a creative city working with great people, from all of whom I learned so much.

In many ways, these were the most creative years of my life because I was working and trying to make collective sense of it all. Those years formed my vision of what good art and good teaching are, and they shaped my worldview.

6. Ann Margaret

I GOT my first job with a Hollywood star, which meant flying out there to work “for a weekend” with Ann Margaret. It was just mad. I soon realised that stars are stars for one of two reasons – luck or ability. With Ann Margaret, it was ability.

I also learned that once you have become a star, you get to tell people how you work. I was prepared to coach her, normally a three-hour job for me, but I spent three days with her. She used my knowledge of Sheffield – where the film was set – to help her find her line motivations. By the end, I knew every beat of her script – not just how she had to say it, but the words she would recall to inform her performance.

I learned that actors must do it their way, because it’s them performing – I might know what they need to do, but they must find it, you can’t tell them.

7. Spend! Spend! Spend!

I’D worked on the original Leeds production of Spend! Spend! Spend! and when it transferred to London, I was asked to join the production. My focus was getting Barbara Dickson’s Scottish lilt to sound like she was Castleford, born and bred.

Barbara was amazing, never once accepting anything less than spot on, driving herself all the time; she is another star because of ability.

What I learned – and what I hope I have always been able to teach my students – is that leading a company is not about how many lines you have, it is about bearing the standard from the front.

8. Bath

MOVING to Bath was another big change for me because I moved away from an area where I was in the thick of the industry to an area where I was wholly committed to higher education.

Bath Spa University has developed considerably over the 12 years I have been there, and I feel that I have been able to grow with it too.

9. Completing a PhD

COMPLETING a PhD was a truly life-changing process. I now know I am not only capable of patiently working on an idea over seven years (I studied part-time) but refining and refining it until I have something of merit.

I have learned that I am capable of that, and while that might seem quite simple, it is actually quite profound. I still haven’t got used to being called “doctor”.

10. The Scottish Institute Of Theatre, Dance, Film & Television

THE final event is happening now, with my new role as principal of The Scottish Institute.

Moving to Scotland is another big change for me and my partner – we are both looking forward to the challenge, but it already feels like a big gear shift in our lives.

The change for me is that I finally feel that everything I have done and achieved has come together into one role. I finally feel as though I’m in the right place. Now if I could move the school to Italy …

Mark Langley is principal of the Scottish Institute of Theatre, Dance, Film and Television