s ▁novel . ▁His ▁other ▁film ▁work ▁included ▁compos ing ▁the ▁score ▁to ▁Alfred ▁the ▁Great ▁( 1 9 6 9 ), ▁and ▁arr anging ▁the ▁music ▁for ▁L augh ter ▁in ▁the ▁Dark ▁( 1 9 6 9 ) ▁and ▁The ▁Hotel ▁New ▁Ham pshire ▁( 1 9 8 4 ). ▁ ▁In ▁November ▁ 1 9 6 9 , ▁he ▁made ▁his ▁American ▁debut ▁conduct ing ▁the ▁West min ster ▁Ch oir ▁and ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Phil harm onic , ▁at ▁which ▁occasion ▁he ▁also ▁appeared ▁as ▁solo ist ▁in ▁Joseph ▁Hay dn ' s ▁Har ps ich ord ▁Con cer to ▁in ▁D ▁major . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 3 ▁he ▁became ▁principal ▁conduct or ▁of ▁the ▁BBC ▁Northern ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra ▁in ▁Manchester ▁( now ▁the ▁BBC ▁Phil harm onic ), ▁a ▁position ▁he ▁retained ▁until ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁ ▁Le pp ard ▁conducted ▁Brit ten ' s ▁Billy ▁Bud d ▁at ▁the ▁Metropolitan ▁Opera ▁and ▁the ▁San ▁Francisco ▁Opera , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁Gl uck ' s ▁Alc este ▁and ▁Hand el ' s ▁Alc ina ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁Opera . ▁He ▁also ▁conducted ▁at ▁the ▁Royal ▁Opera ▁House ▁in ▁London , ▁in ▁Paris , ▁at ▁the ▁Hamburg ▁State ▁Opera , ▁the ▁Santa ▁Fe ▁Opera , ▁in ▁Stockholm ▁and ▁Gene va . ▁ ▁In ▁September ▁ 1 9 8 6 ▁Raymond ▁Le pp ard ▁conducted ▁the ▁BBC ▁Sym phony ▁Orchestra , ▁Sing ers ▁and ▁Ch orus ▁at ▁the ▁Last ▁Night ▁of ▁the