I never got the chance to see the illustrious Slatkin perform in front of me and your post really made me wish it more. I remember my first opera tickets and how I knew absolutely nothing about this world. Classical music wasn't foreign to me but as a child I would listen to it only when my mom wanted to for herself. It was her who took me by my ten year old hand and said it's time for me to grow up. I laughed knowing that's impossible and that I'm gonna be a child forever. I had a wonderful black dress and a white blouse underneath. I took out my good shoes and went to the opera. There I saw a lot of people dressed in glitter and style. Finally the curtain was up and it came like a tsunami over me. The first notes passed through me. By the end of the opera I was standing and applauding until my hands started to hurt. Ever since I was always home when my mom listened to her opera disks.