During a mild, yet rainy winter evening at the New York City Center, I was once again able to enjoy the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater during one of its 60th anniversary performances, and it was delightful experience.

There’s nothing quite like gallivanting around Lincoln Center on a crisp late-fall evening and ending up at the Metropolitan Opera.

Whenever I talk to people about opera there are myriad questions about what it is or why I enjoy it, but the common thread is that people don’t understand how to talk about it. Here take 10 common terms in opera down to their basic meanings.