“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.”

“Everybody thought I was crazy. They thought I should take the money and run. But there was just something special about being a senior at Chapel Hill. I just couldn't leave.”