After a short career as a research physicist, Michael Rafferty switched to music initially as a violinist and later as conductor. He is cofounder and Joint Artistic Director of Music Theatre Wales and has conducted all its productions. He has conducted Britten’s Church Parables (Opéra National du Rhin), the Canadian premiere of Birtwistle’s Punch and Judy, John Hardy’s orchestral score to the film The Life Story of David Lloyd George, Veryan Weston’s Songs from a Prison Diary (Le Mans Jazz Festival) and performances with ensembles including the BBC Concert Orchestra, Scottish Chamber Orchestra, London Mozart Players, Orchestre Symphonique de Mulhouse, Norway’s BIT 20 Ensemble, Musikfabrik of Cologne, The Composers’ Ensemble and PM Music Ensemble. Altogether, he has conducted the works of more than 80 living composers and 40 opera productions. Many of his performances have been broadcast on radio and TV and he has made several CDs including Michael Berkeley’s earlier opera Jane Eyre which was released by Chandos. He conducted the premieres of operas by Huw Watkins and Eleanor Alberga (Music Theatre Wales) as well as the premiere of a film score The Cabinet of Dr Caligari by Lynne Plowman (London Mozart Players).