Ten Questions with Wesley Rogers

Ten Questions with...

Wesley Rogers, tenor
Don Ottavio in Don Giovanni

1. My favorite thing about being a singer is:

Is that the learning never stops. Whether it be working on technique, learning languages, or working on a new role, it is really always a work in progress. It really allows me to enjoy the journey and not the destination.

 

2. The greatest challenge in being a singer is:

Traveling, and being away from my family, especially because my children are young. I don't want to miss out on the little things, and I know it's a heavy load for my wife to carry on her own.  

3. A live music performance I’ve attended that I will never forget is:
I saw Michael Hedes in a small bar in Oxford, MS. He was a pioneering New Age guitarist, and I had been a huge fan since I was young. He passed away shortly after, so it made it all the more significant for me.

4. A few of my favorite films are:

Midnight Express, The Empire Strikes Back, Lost in Translation, The Shining, Full Metal Jacket, and Anchorman.

5. Three things I can’t live without are: 

Family, friends, water.

6. My number one hobby is: 

Playing the guitar.

7. If you could perform with any singer, retired or deceased, who would it be?
Giuseppe Giacomini.

8. If you weren’t a singer, what profession would you be in? 

I would most likely be a contractor or a farmer.

9. What role do you wish you could sing that you could never sing because it’s the wrong voice type/gender?  

Wotan.

10. Describe your favorite moment on stage.When the overture begins. It's like a starting pistol for me. If I'm not ready, I better get there, and fast.

See Wesley in Madison Opera's production of Mozart's Don Giovanni April 26 & 28 in Overture Hall. Tickets start at just $18– why wait?