As americans I think it's harder for us to have a relationship with opera because the access to it is so limited.

I like that there's very little mystery in how the artwork is actually made. It's the labor and the focus and the precision that drives it to the next level.

Opera is something you have to educate yourself about. You have to make sure you understand the stories, what was happening politically, socially during the time these things were made and how they've changed through history.

While I've lived in cities for most of my adult life, I really prefer the quiet, boring, mundanity of the country. It's the best place for me to work, think, and invent.

I think that I the biggest thing that I need is more creative time. More time to make mistakes.

You always want to see people who are just like a little outside of the box. Maybe making mistakes sometimes. Not taking something that's straight off the runway, but mixing and matching things. Old and new.

I soon realized that I didn't have a great passion for academia and I didn't like sitting in front of the computer all day. I would much prefer to be a carpenter.