Possessing a voice described as “robust and resonant” by TheatreMania and deemed a “standout” by Opera Magazine, bass-baritone Tyler Putnam is in demand in a variety of repertoire.
Frequently engaged to sing traditional bass and bass-baritone roles, Tyler recently made his European opera debut, performing Sparafucile and Monterone in Rigoletto with Opera på Skäret in Sweden. His USA credits include Leporello in Don Giovanni with Gulfshore Opera and Light Opera of New Jersey; Oroveso in Norma with Opera Tampa; Colline in La bohème with Gulfshore Opera, Lakeland Opera, and the Missouri Symphony; Guglielmo in Così fan tutte with St. Petersburg Opera, Florida; Sarastro in Die Zauberflöte with Salt Marsh Opera; both Agent Ashby and José Castro in La fanciulla del West with Opera Orlando and Opera Omaha respectively; Dulcamara in L’elisir d’amore with The Gulf Coast Symphony; Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro and Alidoro in La Cenerentola with Geneva Light Opera; Crespel in The Tales of Hoffmann with Opera Tampa; Masetto/Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Heartbeat Opera; Ceprano in Rigoletto at the Berkshire Opera Festival; Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor at New Hampshire’s Opera North; Pistola in Falstaff with Manitoba Opera and le Moine in Don Carlos with Sarasota Opera.
World premieres, operetta and musical theatre further distinguish the broad scope of his abilities as a singer and actor. This season he originates the role of Cura Viejo in the world premiere of Fowler and Flack’s Behold the Man with Opera Las Vegas. He recently performed the villain Marduk in Cosmic Cowboy by Cerise Lim Jacobs and Elena Ruehr with White Snake Projects in Boston and he stood out as the Commentator in Andrew Wang’s Scalia / Ginsburg presented in Houston by Opera in the Heights. Other roles include Cox in the world premiere of Penelope Ann’s Revenge by composer Curtis Tucker, The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Opera Tampa, Don Alhambra in The Gondoliers with Winter Opera St. Louis, Dick Deadeye in H.M.S. Pinafore with First Coast Opera, and Frank in Die Fledermaus with Opera Orlando. He received outstanding reviews as Luther Billis in South Pacific at Opera North and St. Petersburg Opera, and Macheath in Weill’s The Threepenny Opera with The Princeton Festival.
An apprentice at The Santa Fe Opera for two seasons, he debuted the role of Kobun in a workshop performance of Mark Campbell and Mason Bates’ The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, sang Zweiter Soldat in Salome, and originated the role of Thomas in the world premiere of Jennifer Higdon’s Cold Mountain on the main festival stage.
