He was born in Newcastle on 2/6/1922. He was of noble birth and his real name was Raphael Douglas, Baron von Banfilnt Tripcovich. He studied at the Swiss Lyceum Alpinum Zuoz, the Lyceum Dante Alighieri in Trieste, the University of Bologna and the Benedetto Marcello Conservatory in Venice. During 1946-1949 he studied composition at the National Conservatory of Paris with Nadia Boulanger. Then he met with Herbert von Karajan and came in contact with several celebrated artists, such as Pablo Picasso, Jean Cocteau and Francis Poulenc. In 1949, in collaboration with choreographer and dancer Roland Petit, he presented in London the ballet Le combat, in his own music, based on the episode of Tancredi and Clorinda from Torquato Tasso’s Jerusalem Delivered [Gerusalemme liberate]. Between 1959 and 1973, this work was performed 39 times at the Vienna State Opera, choreographed by Dimitrije Parlić. He was well-known for his voice compositions, which were presented internationally, sung by Kiri te Kanawa, Astrid Varnay, Patricia Neway, and others. He was director of the Theater Verdi in Trieste (1972-1996) and director of the Festival of Two Worlds in Spoleto (1978-1986). He was awarded for his work, and in 1994 was appointed a Grand Cavalier of the Legion of Honor by the President of France. He collaborated with the GNO once, in 1957, when he directed the production of the opera Fidelio (Athens Festival, Odeon of Herodes Atticus). He died in Trieste on 7/1/2008.