Aaron Durand talks about the modern opera scene with a lot of excitement.
He mentions the opera Don Giovanni, which premiered more than 225 years ago and is still performed around the world more than 1,000 times a year today.
In the Vancouver Opera’s recent production of that everlasting work, Durand, who was born and raised in 100 Mile House, played the part of Masetto.
“What people really want is a good story,” he says. “We all love a good story.”
And a South Cariboo farm boy turned opera singer is a pretty good story.
The 29-year-old is a member of the Vancouver Opera’s Yulanda M. Faris Young Artists Program. Durand says he was “one of the lucky four” singers chosen out of hundreds who auditioned for the inaugural spots in 2012.
Before joining the University of British Columbia Opera in 2009, and moving on to the Vancouver Opera in 2012, Durand worked as a retail clerk at The Country Pedlar on Highway 24, owned by his mom, Shelly, for more than 11 years where he did everything from “build shelves to scoop ice cream,” (according to his online profile on LinkedIn.)
He says programs like the Vancouver Opera’s are becoming more important in the growth and development of young artists.
“It’s a fantastic experience. These days, there is more and more a necessity for a program in between your university education and the big, wide world. The gulf between them is widening through the sheer competitiveness of the business.”
A big project the Vancouver Opera is currently undertaking is called “Opera’s Greatest Hits – and More.” The opera company performs the show in Richmond and Surrey and other communities – it traditionally performs at the Queen Elizabeth Theatre in downtown Vancouver – in hopes of engaging more and different audiences.
Durand sings a number of parts and says the songs are “great big crowd pleasers” with a few lesser-known pieces thrown in. “It’s a pretty fun concert to do.”
Durand explains he grew up with a lot music around him, thanks to his family. He entered the 100 Mile Festival of the Arts every year from when he was 10 to 18, and credits a singing teacher, Gloria Brooks, for fostering a love of classical music. He also sang in the Eclectica Community Choir.
“If it was musical, we did it. There were tons of amazing performers and amazing people and we were all sort of brought together by that core musical community [in 100 Mile House].”
As for his future career, the next step is into the “deep end of the pool,” Durand says.
“You put your best foot out there and sing your face off for opera companies and for agents. I’ve got to trust in the skills I have acquired in the last few years.”
However, there will always be a next step for Durand.
“The wonderful thing about opera – hell, anything in general – is you can always be a student of a craft. In that sense, I’ll always be pursuing the next step. You’re never done. You’re never over.”
While the opera world is tremendously exciting, it’s also tremendously challenging, Durand explains.
“Honestly, I would have lost my head in this stuff years ago if I didn’t have a solid base and a solid place to grow up in. I’m grateful I had that.”
