1951: Premiere of The Pilgrim’s Progress, opera by Vaughan Williams.

1881: Premiere of Patience, or Bunthorne’s Bride, operetta by Sullivan (libretto by Gilbert).

1801: Premiere of The Seasons (Die Jahreszeiten) oratorio by Haydn.

1948: Manuel Ponce, composer, died.

Douglas’s Website

1. How did you get started with singing?

I was five years old and Barbara Hendricks lived with my family in Lincoln, Nebraska. I used to mimic her singing to annoy her. That would have been my start, I suppose

1a. Barbara Hendricks lived with your family? How neat!

She was a buddy of my older brother. they met at the Aspen festival. She was finishing her chemistry degree at UNL and needed to live in a cheap place. My sister’s room was free.

2. What made you decide that music and singing was what you wanted to do?

I had a music teacher in high school in Denver who recognised something in my voice and kicked my tail until I figured it out.

3. Do you still take regular lessons?

Not regular, but when I have time. I use the technique he [my teacher] gave me in high school with the added finesse Souzay and Rossi-Lemeni gave me.

4. Do you feel you still have stuff to learn?

Absolutely. Not as much as I did before, however. I don’t consider myself a “master”, but I do teach one week a year in Breckenridge Colorado.

5. What about practising? How long do you practice in a typical day?

I don’t on a typical day. A typical day involves packing and phone calls and writing bills. I check in with my voice on a daily basis. but like long distance runners, I know my “legs” and if I’m warmed up already, I don’t beat myself up vocalizing.

Ok. in a typical week then

Depends on what singing I have to do. Mostly, I just warm up to sing thru the music I have for the week. A regular, “Dougie getting better” session? Doesn’t typically happen anymore. Even preparing MASS here, I hardly sang before the production week. I was in terrific shape from the 60 recitals this season, so I just kept myself hydrated, warmed up and relaxed.

6. If you were learning a new role, how long would that take would you estimate?

Usually, in English, a role takes about three weeks, but USUALLY, I really hit it about three weeks from the first rehearsal, so… my timing could be a necessity based thing

7. What would you say is the best thing about what you do?

The best part? Easy answer: I’m using the gifts that were provided me at birth and the skills I’ve acquired on my own.

8. What about the worst thing?

Packing. Absolutely … packing

9. Aside from packing, do you like travelling?

I love it!

So that’s not a problem then?

No, travelling is the easy part. I view it as a challenge.

11. Ok, what about making a living: how easy or hard is that to do?

Well, my wife is a flute professor at Julliard with her own performing career. between the two of us, we make enough to keep ourselves housed, fed and reasonably up to fashion standards. Buying the apartment at the low ebb of the market was a blessing. As for the money, I couldn’t care less. I love toys, but I get as happy buying cheap $5
gadgets for friends as I do buying cars.

12. Do you have an agent or do you do all that stuff yourself?

I will be leaving Concert Artists Guild in a few days

Then you will be agent-less?

Yup. I expect to hire an assistant soon. I hope for a dream agent to stumble upon my work and get excited about what I’m pulling off out here. Until then, I will be answering the cell phone. I have enough to keep me in mortgage payments thru next season. and expect to offer up my own “Broadway” concerts for orchestras next issue of Musical
America.

13. If someone who was headed towards a career in opera asked you for advice, what would you say?

Depends on their momentum and motivation…. headed towards means going that direction, but not what’s driving them. If they can do anything else, they should. Music is a wonderful avocation. As a vocation, it’s a crapshoot

Is it difficult?

Not difficult. Singing is easy. Rejection and uncertainly is the drain.

If performing is a “fun” thing, then leave it as a hobby you love and can enjoy. If it is your “calling”, then by all means, pursue it

1775: Premiere of Il Re pastore, opera by W. A. Mozart.

1809: Eugène (Prosper) Prévost, composer and singing teacher, born.

1857: Ruggiero Leoncavallo, composer, born.