Vera Causa Opera is proud to announce two more cast members for our November production of Don Pasquale by Gaetano Donizetti:
Andrew Derynck as Ernesto
Tenor, Andrew Derynck hails from the small farming community of Jeanettes Creek, Ontario. He completed both his Opera diploma and his Bachelor of Music at Wilfrid Laurier University, under the tutelage of Soprano, Leslie Fagan. On the stage, Andrew has most recently performed as Mayor Upfold in Albert Herring at the Halifax summer opera festival. Other highlights include Hoffmann in Opera Laurier’s production of Les contes d’Hoffmann, the Rooster in The Bremen Town Musicians (Highland Opera Studio), Little Bat Mclean in Susannah (Longreach Opera Workshiop), and as the School Master in The Cunning Little Vixen (Opera Laurier). When not singing, Andrew can be found canoeing, camping or helping on the family farm.
Fun Fact: While Andrew was growing up, he would randomly start singing while working on the farm. His Dad would often stop what ever he was doing, thinking that something was wrong and that Andrew was yelling for help.
Mikhail Shemet as Don Pasquale
Born in Russia, bass Mikhail Shemet graduated from the University of Toronto in 2014 studying Voice Performance. He currently studies with Stuart Graham. He is part of the Opera in Concert Chorus, and has frequently performed with the Toronto Operetta Theatre. With Summer Opera Lyric Theatre (SOLT), he has performed Papageno (Die Zauberlöte), and this upcoming year he will be performing Figaro (Le Nozze di Figaro). He has close ties with Opera by Request, most recently being in their production of Il Travatore as Ferrando. He has also worked with Opera York, Against the Grain, and Opera on the Avalon. He has worked with such conductors as Russell Braun and Sandra Horst, and he has been directed by Michael Cavanagh and Michael Albano.
When not on stage, Mikhail enjoys fencing, martial arts, and studying languages.
Stay tuned for the announcement of the orchestra next week!