Andrew Adridge

He is a graduate of the University of Toronto Opera program where he studied under Wendy Nielsen. He also holds a Bachelor of Music in Voice Performance from U of T, studying under Peters Barnes. Credits at UofT Opera include, Bacchus in Offenbach’s Orphée aux enfers (2016), the title role in Don Giovanni (2017), and Sam Jenkins in Gershwin’s Of thee I sing (2018). As a member of the Nathaniel Dett Chorale, Andrew made his Kennedy Centre debut in Washington, D.C. on the Millennium Stage as a soloist in Sydney Guillaume’s Ayiti 1,2,3 (2018). He is currently a baritone lead at Timothy Eaton Memorial Church. He was also the 2017 winner of the George Shirley Vocal Competition in Ann Arbour, Michigan. In 2017, Andrew was the feature soloist with the Exultate Chamber Singers in Ralph Vaughan Williams Five Mystical Songs. Andrew has attended summer programs both in Canada and in the United States including NUOVA, The Chautauqua Institution Voice Program, and the Banff program. Andrew has taken part in masterclasses with Rebecca Caine, Brian Zeger, John Fisher, and Stephen Wadsworth, and has also taken part in a recital with Craig Rutenberg.Most recent singing credits include: Stephen Marshall in Nicole Lizée’s No One’s Safe with the Opera in the 21^st Century program at  Banff Centre, Workshopping and Performing in Soundstreams’ Two Odysseys: Pimooteewin / Gállábártnit, singing the role of Schaunard in Puccini/Ivany’s La Bohème in Against the Grain Theatre’s Canada-wide touring production, and a return to the baritone role in Soundstreams’ Electric Messiah.

Andrew’s passion for the artform extends beyond performing. He is an avid writer having contributed to both Opera Canada and Ludwig Van Toronto and continues his pursuits through his personal blog and through spoken word bringing to light issues around artistry, identity, and race. He was a member of the Portfolio Artist Collective with Opera.ca as the Operations Associate which is the representative body for opera in Canada, currently works for Tapestry Opera as the Advancement Associate and also is the Co-Founder of Opera InReach an initiative aimed at examining the civic impact of opera, creating an authentic Canadian identity for it, and engaging the next generation with equitable and diverse digital programming and mentorship.

Prior to cancelations due to COVID-19 Andrew was to return to Banff Centre to both sing the role of Sodbuster in Missy Mazzoli’s Proving Up, the role of the Pharmacist in the new opera Mrs. Winslow’s Soothing Syrup by Michelle DiBucci and Royce Vavrek, and was to tour with Volcano Theatre in the premiering production of a newly conceptualized Scott Joplin Treemonisha. Andrew enjoys experiencing several aspects of his beautiful homeland of Canada. He graciously acknowledges the traditional caretakers of the land he calls home. The Mississaugas of the Credit, the Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee and the Wendat peoples.