“I was deeply uncertain of who I was and who I wanted to be. I really thought I wanted to be a much cooler guy than what I was.”

“I think opera has gained a kind of glamorous appeal. It's a live performance that aligns all of the arts, and when it is represented in the media, in film in particular, it is presented as something that is really a special event, whether it's a great date or something that's just hugely romantic.”