I feel really blessed with a quick memory. I was once called on a Saturday morning to sing the role of Sparafucile in Rigoletto on the following Tuesday, and I'd never studied the role before. I was doing a lot of studying on the flight over. I think I slipped a couple of words, but it was "close enough for opera."

A girl I went to school with used to write down her speech, tear it up into pieces, then scatter the pieces around the house.