It was pretty accidental for me, too. I was studying music (vocal performance) at university and our Director of Opera Studies asked if I would SM her production of Magic Flute. She brought me in the week of tech. It was a recipe for disaster: first-time stage manager, cast full of opera divas, control-freak music director, massive unfamiliar venue, a high-tech Mozart opera. In the end it turned out alright. It was terrifying in ways performing on stage had never been for me but somehow it got under my skin. Years later I still perform regularly but have also been privileged to SM professionally with a number of regional houses (although I have never done another opera). And I still feel totally inadequate...but I can't seem to stop!