Slow Down, You Sing Too Fast

At my last voice lesson, after telling me how much better the aria sounds now, my teacher admitted to me that perhaps this particular piece is a little bit too complicated for me at this time. She still seems to think that, not this year, but next year, I'll be good enough to audition for the local opera chorus. I still think she's nuts, but that's a whole other topic. The point is, she said she realizes that this piece I'm working on now is very challenging ... and it's a good thing I like a challenge. My problem is, I want to do it perfectly right away, but because it's a challenging piece for me, I have to take it slowly. So I'm breaking it into sections and perfecting one section before really seriously tackling the next.

How do people learn a role for an entire opera???? Like... how in the world do people learn Rosina??? All those notes... What, 16th notes? 32nd even? Plus all the recitativo in between? I guess when it's your full time job it's a bit less daunting???? Oh yeah and music school, and experience, and coaching, and lots of rehearsals...