Derek Carson hails from the suburban haven of Meridian, Idaho. He has just returned to the Boise area after receiving a Bachelor's degree in Vocal Performance at the University of Idaho at the Lionel Hampton School of Music. Derek got his start in the professional field as Amahl in Opera Idaho’s 2010 and 2011 productions of Menotti’s Amahl and the Night Visitors, and he is excited to be working with Opera Idaho again for the 2024-2025 season. Some upcoming projects that he is excited for include two performances of Handel’s Messiah with Gemma Arts in December, as well as La Traviata with Opera Idaho in March. Some of Derek’s favorite roles include: Alfredo in Strauss’ Die Fledermaus, Frederick in Gilbert and Sullivan’s The Pirates of Penzance, and Tamino in Mozart’s Die Zauberflöte. Derek has a few special talents outside of singing, including the inexplicable ability to do the splits, an affinity for backbends, a love of dance and choreography, and an extensive knowledge of back-cracking techniques.