This is a little bit awkward during a television interview.

Stéphane Lissner, who has previously held posts at Italy’s La Scala opera house, was asked to name particular opera arias on a French television show.

Despite his history in the opera industry, a visibly uncomfortable Lissner floundered during the unexpected quiz.

Although he did manage to correctly identify an aria from Bizet’s Carmen, Lissner was unable to connect excerpts with operas like Catalani’s La Wally and Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.