My boss, the CEO of OPERA America, has a favorite “first question.” Every time he interviews an opera creator, artist, board member or business partner, he asks them, “What is the first opera you saw? Who took you?”

For nearly 10 years, I’ve lived in dread that he’d ask me that question in public – because I just don’t remember. I mean, I know I went to some in school (pre-high school), but I just can’t seem to remember when I first went, and which opera that was.