He designed the complex set that brought magical moments in Opera North's Christmas staging of Pinnochio, and now returns to create the backdrop for the three operas in the company's Shakespearean season. Tomorrow night he moves to the fantasy world in Benjamin Britten's A Midsummer Night's Dream working with the same basic set seen last week in Verdi's dark drama of Macbeth.

"I always start out by listening to the opera on disc, and try to visualise the scene the music is suggesting," explains Engles. "That formulates suggested sets and provides a talking point when I first meet the producer. My first priority is always to make the set performer-friendly, the singers having enough to remember with the music, words, movement and keeping in touch with the conductor without having to contend with unhelpful scenery and props."

And how about the tight budget Opera North has imposed? "Money is something that never enters into my original thoughts, and only comes into play when we are agreed on the production outline."

He will not be drawn on the subject of the potential for an impasse between himself and some of today's more outrageous productions.

"I have never backed out of a commission, but there are directors I would never work with again," he diplomatically concludes.

A Midsummer Night's Dream, May 3,10,16, 22, 7.15pm & 24. 2pm. Leeds Grand Theatre. 0844 8482720.