
Vancouver, BC – written February 4th, 2025 –
Met on Monday, January 27, 2025 10 am PST
Dorothy Mields: Hallo!
Elke Porter: Hello! This is Elke with Westcoast German News here in Vancouver, BC Canada.
Dorothy Mields: Yes
Elke Porter: How are you? Are you still in Germany?
Dorothy Mields: I’m still in Germany, at home. I was originally supposed to be in Belgium, but plans changed—so here I am..
Elke Porter: Where in Germany?
Dorothee Mields: Worpswede (originally called Worpensweede)
Elke Porter: Oh, where is that?
Dorothee Mields: It’s in the northwest of Germany, near Bremen. It used to be an artists’ village dating back to the 13th century (1218). It’s very idyllic, set in the countryside.
Elke Porter: Yeah, okay, that sounds amazing. I just have a few questions prepared.
Dorothee Mields: Great.
Elke Porter: How did you discover your passion for singing? And what led you to specialize in early and baroque music?
Dorothy Mields: As long as I can remember, I’ve always been singing; even as a young child, I was always singing. I remember when I was about two years old, and my mom put me to bed and switched off the light. We had this kind of violet floral wallpaper, but when she turned off the lights, that floral wallpaper transformed into scary cows that freaked me out. I was so scared of those cows, and of course, my grandparents and my mom just didn’t take me seriously; they would say, “Shut up and go to sleep.”
They wouldn’t come back, so I sang myself to sleep, which really calmed me. They soon discovered that singing had a wonderful effect on me; when I sang, I was basically fine. My grandma, in particular, was always listening to operas. I began singing along with some made-up Italian texts, which is when I decided that I wanted to become an opera singer.
Eventually, I also started playing the violin because my grandmother took me to the opera house in my hometown of Gelsenkirchen. Despite being in a rather unattractive post-industrial town—the ugliest in all of Europe, in my opinion—we had a tiny opera house. I recall listening to “La Bohème” when I was very young, and at that moment, I truly wanted to become an opera singer. I unnerved my grandma, who then reached out to a singer from the opera house. She explained, “I have this crazy child who wants to become an opera singer. Would you like to meet her?”
The singer, a kind and patient man, responded, “You have lots of time if you want to become an opera singer, but start with the violin. It’s good for your ear and musicality. You can sing as much as you want in choirs, or even along with the radio while you shower, but don’t start training your voice until you’ve stopped growing.” I took all his advice to heart and began with the violin.
I had a Russian-American violin teacher who had a romantic approach to playing. This influence led me to sometimes feel that Bach was a boring composer compared to others. However, when I was around 16 or 17, I went on a tour and ended up in Regensburg. It was there that I first listened to Baroque music played on period instruments, and it was a revelation.
As they began tuning their instruments, I realized something was off; they were tuning a half tone lower than modern romantic violins. When I heard that sound, I understood how much purer and more beautiful it was. From that moment on, I found my passion in Baroque music. I felt it was my true home, and I realized that opera was no longer my path.
Elke Porter: What draws you to the works of Johann Sebastian Bach? And how do you approach conveying the emotional depths of his music in your performance?
Dorothee Mields: I began with early music, immersing myself in the historical context and performance practices of the time. I realized that the text is essential to the music; the words truly shape the music. When I work on a Bach composition, I first take out the words and avoid looking at the score. I focus on how I would speak the text rather than sing it. I consider how I would phrase it, and then I piece everything back together and consult the score.
This approach often reveals insights, allowing me to align my phrasing with the meaning of the words. Bach also incorporates musical development, emphasizing different parts of a phrase, which adds depth to my performance of the music. I have a deep appreciation for Baroque speech and language; while it may not be German in the conventional sense, it possesses a unique poetic beauty that I find captivating.
Elke Porter: And is this your first time performing with the Vancouver Bach choir?
Dorothy Mields: Yes, I believe it is! I’m very excited to perform with the choir here. Definitely.
Elke Porter: And what excites you most about collaborating with them? And how does performing in a new city inspire your artistry?
Dorothy Mields: It’s always fascinating to explore the chemistry among all the participants in a performance, especially in Baroque music, which is so intimate. Interestingly, there isn’t a hierarchical structure among the musicians. The solo soprano is not considered more important than the second viola, for example, and the conductor doesn’t dominate the process; rather, everyone must trust one another. Influences and impulses can come from any person involved, which fosters a deep level of connection.
You need to be well-connected with each member of the ensemble, and that’s always an exciting aspect of the experience! I’ve visited Vancouver many times, and I love the city and its stunning landscape. I’m really looking forward to returning. It’s intriguing to meet new people and establish fresh connections. I can’t predict how it will unfold, not in terms of good or bad, but rather in the way our performance will develop with everyone’s contributions.
Elke Porter: Interesting! Music transcends borders and languages. How do you feel your performance helps connect audiences to German music and culture, or maybe to Bach music and culture?
Dorothy Mields: Whenever I put together programs, I love to tell stories. With my modern perspective, I still aim to create a sense of time travel—taking the listener on a journey into the past. In this way, it becomes an exchange between the musician and the audience, always interactive in its own way.
I find it unsettling that in some opera houses, you can’t see the audience. I believe it makes a difference when you can see them—when you can connect with them and draw them into the music. It creates a much deeper experience compared to performing in a setting where that connection is lost.
Elke Porter: Interesting So as a renowned soloist, how do you prepare for a significant performance like this one? Are there specific challenges in singing Bach’s work that you particularly enjoy?
Dorothy Mields: Well, every composer presents their own challenges. By now, I’ve performed a great deal of Bach, and I truly enjoy it. But I think Bach requires a different approach compared to Handel, for example.
When I sing Handel, I feel like I need to embody the character completely—it’s a very extroverted, front-stage kind of performance. I have to bring out my most expressive and dramatic side to fully convey the music’s energy.
With Bach, however, it’s the opposite. I have to pull back my extroverted tendencies and turn inward, almost as if I’m performing an internal version of the same music. When I approach it this way, I find that Bach’s music truly blossoms, revealing its incredible purity and heavenly beauty.
Elke Porter: You’ve performed in some of the world’s most prestigious venues Can you share one of your most memorable experiences as a soloist?
Dorothy Mields: Oh! Now you’ve got me thinking. Right now, I have Vienna in my mind—the golden, breathtaking music, the elegance of the city. It’s already visually stunning, and the sound is just as magnificent.
Last year, we performed the St. Matthew Passion at La Scala in Milan—an opera house, of course—and we were really curious about how the Italian operatic audience would connect with Bach’s music. The venue is enormous, with balconies that seem to stretch on forever.
And yet, despite its grandeur, I have never felt such an intimate connection with an audience. Usually, at the end of a performance, Italian audiences are quick to erupt into applause—“Brava!”—but this time, after the final chord, there was silence. We thought, What’s happening?
It took a while before they finally started clapping, but it was such a beautiful moment. Afterwards, people came to us—quiet, yet deeply moved. Even though we had performed a rather sorrowful piece, I sometimes think that sad music has the power to bring joy. It’s as if, through listening, all the sadness is transformed into something healing.
Elke Porter: That sounds amazing. Yeah, amazing! Have you ever been to the Orpheum, by the way? Here in Vancouver?
Dorothy Mields: No, I haven’t yet.
Elke Porter: That’s my favorite theater here.
Dorothy Mields: Ah! I will have to see it when I am there next week.
Elke Porter: Yes, definitely! So, next question. What or who inspires you the most in your career? And what advice would you give to aspiring singers who dream of performing early music as timeless as Bach’s?
Dorothy Mields: I think my greatest master and teacher—both musically and in his approach to music—will forever be Philippe Herreweghe and the Collegium Vocale Gent. I am still singing with them and taking part in their performances, and I am so grateful for this beautiful journey. We’ve been doing this for many years now, and it remains a profound experience.
One of the most important lessons I’ve learned from him is his humble approach to music—always being a servant to the music itself. He taught me to open the deepest parts of my soul and heart, allowing the music to take whatever it needs. My role is simply to let it flow freely.
When young singers come to me asking for advice—whether they want to become opera singers or classical vocalists—I always try to understand what truly drives them. If their dream is to be famous, wear glamorous gowns, and live in the spotlight, I gently caution them that this may not be the right path.
But if I sense that they are genuinely passionate about music—the meaning behind it, the poetry of the words, and the deep desire to express something through singing—then I wholeheartedly encourage them to pursue it. I always tell them: Don’t expect great wealth or fame. If it happens, consider it a happy accident, but don’t make it your goal. The more you let go of that ambition, the more likely you are to find true fulfillment—and ironically, success may follow more naturally when you’re not chasing it.
Elke Porter: My next question is a bit spontaneous, but it just occurred to me—there are audiences who love Bach’s music, eagerly buy tickets, attend concerts, and become devoted fans. Then, there are those who may not know much about Bach at all. How do you introduce Bach’s music to those unfamiliar with it? Have you ever had the opportunity in your career to bring his music into schools or other settings where people may be hearing it for the first time?
Dorothy Mields: What I try to do is create an experience where it doesn’t matter whether someone is a connoisseur, an amateur, or completely unfamiliar with Bach’s music. If you listen with your heart and soul, you don’t need prior knowledge—you just need to be open to the music.
I trust in my own passion for this music, and I believe that passion is contagious. The more I focus on being present and authentic—without worrying about how I’m perceived or whether people will like me—the more naturally the music connects with the audience. When I let go of fear and simply share the music with an open heart, it has a way of resonating with people.
I’ve especially experienced this in schools with young students. At first, they look at me as if to say, Who is this quirky, funny woman? But then, as the music unfolds, something shifts. Eventually, they start singing along, and when that happens—when they truly engage—that’s when I feel the happiest.
Elke Porter: That sounds good. And then the last question is one I should have asked int the first place: Where did you study? Where did you grow up? Where did you train? All those basic things.
Dorothy Mields: I was born in Germany, in Gelsenkirchen—a post-industrial, rather ugly town. I grew up with my grandparents, who were refugees from southern Ukraine. They arrived in Germany… well, a long time ago.
My mother was a bit of a wild spirit—a crazy punk. She had me when she was very young, and as a result, I ended up being raised mostly by my grandparents. She would come and go, sometimes completely unavailable, sometimes full of life, and during those times, we had the happiest moments together. It was a very unconventional household.
My grandfather was a nature-loving anarchist—very communist in his ideas, yet also deeply green. Owning a car was absolutely out of the question because, in his words, it’s bad for the environment, so we don’t have one. My grandmother, on the other hand, was quite conservative and always tried to maintain a sense of traditional order in the household—though, poor woman, she never quite succeeded.
Adding to the chaos, I had an uncle who was only a few years older than me, and he was also a punk. So, in our home, there was always a mix of Zappa and Die Toten Hosen blasting from one room, while my grandmother listened to operas in another. Meanwhile, I was practicing my violin, and our pet budgies—parakeets—were chirping away. My grandfather would whistle Russian songs, adding yet another layer to the soundscape. It was a noisy, lively place.
Sometimes, the only way I could cope with all the commotion was to withdraw into myself—to tune everything out, escape into my imagination, and dream. I had my own little world, complete with imaginary friends. Despite the chaos, it was a wonderful childhood—filled with music, even though I was the only musician in the family.
Later, I went on to study in Bremen.
Elke Porter: You were the only musician in the family?
Dorothy Mields: Yes, I was the only musician in my family. No one else took music seriously.
I went on to study in Bremen and later in Stuttgart, where I trained with a mezzo-soprano. She was an excellent teacher, but we often fought—like cats—especially when it came to Baroque music. She didn’t like it at all. However, she taught me a solid bel canto technique, which was invaluable.
Sometimes, I would bring in Bach, and she would hate it. I tended to take things at a quicker pace than she preferred, and she wasn’t a fan of me reducing my vibrato in certain places. Eventually, she said, Don’t you ever bring that kind of music here again! So, from then on, we focused on Donizetti, Mozart, Bellini—anything but Bach.
But in the end, it worked out. Everything I learned from her about articulation and phrasing ultimately shaped the way I approach Baroque music today. However, when it came to interpretation, I drew inspiration from other influences, not from her.
Still, I am incredibly grateful for her excellent teaching. Thanks to her, I have a healthy voice to this day—which is absolutely essential.
Elke Porter: When are you coming to Vancouver?
Dorothy Mields: I’m leaving next Tuesday (February 4th), arriving on Wednesday.
Elke Porter: Have a great trip to Vancouver!
Dorothy Mields: Yes, I can’t wait. I absolutely can’t wait!
Elke Porter: Yeah bye, bye, cheers.

See Dorothee Mields Perform in Vancouver
Vancouver, BC – Early Music Vancouver (EMV) is delighted to present Bach Ties the Knot, a captivating exploration of J.S. Bach’s wedding-related works on February 15, 2025 at 3pm, at St. Andrew’s-Wesley United Church. Part of EMV’s 2025 LUMEN Festival, this concert will feature renowned German soprano Dorothee Mields alongside EMV’s in-house orchestra, Pacific Baroque Orchestra (PBO) under the direction of Alexander Weimann.
Celebrating timeless themes of love and union through some of Bach’s most exquisite music, Mields will perform Bach’s beloved Cantata BWV 202 “Weichet nur,” possibly composed for Bach’s own wedding to Anna Magdalena, alongside the world premiere of her newly crafted Fictive Wedding Cantata, “O großes Hochzeitsfest!”.
Inspired by Bach’s technique of Parodie – reworking his own compositions – Mields has curated a cantata from a selection of Bach’s sinfonias, recitatives, arias, and one chorale. This artfully constructed work expands on the limited number of Bach cantatas for solo soprano.
For information and tickets, please visit: https://www.earlymusic.bc.ca/events/dorothee-mields-the-pbo-bach-ties-the-knot/
