Tyler Putnam
Dulcamara
Possessing a voice described as “robust and resonant” by TheatreMania and deemed a “standout” by Opera Magazine, bass Tyler Putnam brings a combination of intelligent musicianship and spirited dramatic interpretation to a wide variety of repertoire across the United States.
In 2019 Mr. Putnam will be reprising several of his signature roles, Basilio in Il barbiere di Siviglia with Opera Orlando and Gulf Coast Symphony, and Sarastro in The Magic Flute with Salt Marsh Opera. This summer Mr. Putnam looks forward to returning to Geneva Light Opera for his role debut as Figaro in Le nozze di Figaro. Looking ahead to 2020, Mr. Putnam will portray The Pirate King in The Pirates of Penzance with Opera Tampa as well as Masetto in Don Giovanni with Nickel City Opera.
Last year saw Mr. Putnam as Colline in La bohème with Salt Marsh Opera and The Missouri Symphony, and Basilio in Il Barbiere di Siviglia with Geneva Light Opera. That season also marked several role or company debuts including Il Commendatore in Don Giovanni with Divaria Productions (NYC), Banquo in Macbeth with Opera Tampa, Sparafucile in Rigoletto with Gulf Coast Opera and Ceprano in Rigoletto with Berkshire Opera Festival.
Other notable engagements include what Boulder Weekly called a “smooth and effective” Zuniga in Carmen with Central City Opera, Sarastro in The Magic Flute with Salt Marsh Opera, Masetto in Don Giovanni with Opera Orlando, Lo Zio Bonzo in Madama Butterfly and Dr. Miracle in Les Contes d’Hoffmann with Gulfshore Opera, José Castro in La fanciulla del West with Opera Omaha, Angelotti in Tosca with Gulf Coast Symphony, Don Magnifico in La Cenerentola with Salt Marsh Opera, Raimondo in Lucia di Lammermoor at Opera North (NH), The Monk in Don Carlos with Sarasota Opera and his Canadian debut as Pistola in Falstaff with Manitoba Opera. In 2014, he made his Off-Broadway debut with The Little Opera Theatre of NY at 59E59 in the title role of Carlisle Floyd’s Markheim. Opera News wrote, “Tyler Putnam gave a superb performance in the title role, alternately self-serving, malevolent and tragic. Markheim is something of a tour de force for bass, and Putnam proved more than up to the task.” Mr. Putnam has also appeared as Babayan (Bartolo) in ¡FIGARO 90210!, Vid Guerrerio’s multicultural re-imagining of the Mozart/DaPonte classic presented by Ragman Ventures, LLC at the Hopkins Center for the Arts (Dartmouth College), which he later covered on Broadway at The Duke on 42nd Street.
Mr. Putnam’s strong dramatic instincts have made him memorable in a variety of musical theatre and operetta roles. Luther Billis in South Pacific has become one of the bass’s signature characters, which he debuted at Opera North (NH) and reprised at St. Petersburg Opera (FL), garnering praise from BroadwayWorld.com: “In the key, clownish role of Luther Billis, Tyler Putnam was a hoot!” He also appeared as Macheath in The Threepenny Opera with The Princeton Festival, The Pirate King in Pirates of Penzance and Pooh-Bah in The Mikado with Raylynmor Opera, Franz Liebkind in The Producers and Steven Kodaly in She Loves Me at New London Barn Playhouse.
As a member of the apprentice singer program at Santa Fe Opera for two seasons, Mr. Putnam sang the role of Kobun in a workshop performance of Mark Campbell and Mason Bates’ new opera The (R)evolution of Steve Jobs, performed the roles of 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.
Mr. Putnam has been awarded the Career Development Award from The Sullivan Foundation, the Top Prize from Career Bridges, the Randolph “Randy” Mickelson Memorial Fund Award for Excellence in Singing, and was District Winner (Boston) of the Metropolitan Opera National Council auditions. Originally from Chebeague Island Maine, Mr. Putnam is a graduate of Dartmouth College.