You’ve always thought about going to an opera, but, well, it just seems so darned…operatic. Too big, too much, not relatable. And then, of course, there’s Tosca. Boston Lyric Opera Artistic Director Esther Nelson describes Puccini’s opera as the “gateway drug” for newcomers to opera, because once you hear it, you’re hooked. Nelson took time to speak with HuffPost about the Lyric Opera’s upcoming production of Tosca and to explain what makes it perfect for the first-time operagoer.

Michael: What is it about Tosca that makes the opera appealing to folks who are not opera fans just yet?
Esther: With Tosca, you have a sense that we’re having real people in front of us with real human struggles. Puccini had a tremendous sense of drama and theatricality. Also, his music is tremendously accessible to today’s ears.