Born in Lancashire, England, Tomlinson gained a B.Sc. in Civil Engineering before taking up a career as a professional singer. In 1988 he soared to fame at the Bayreuth Festival, as Wotan in Das Rheingold. This performance of one of the greatest roles in the German repertoire, in German and in Wagner's own theatre was, he says, " the most scary time of my whole career. " He has returned to sing in Bayreuth every year since.
In the operatic tradition a great voice is more important than acting ability. This has given rise to the caricature figures of fat, wooden lovers and hammy villains, with their regulation poses and their eyes glued to the conductor. Certain singers in every generation, however, are born actors, and Tomlinson is one. He puts it more simply, " before you go on-stage, you know, you do know where you've come from, what state of mind youΓÇÖre in and who you are. "
His ability to bring characterisation to interpretation is equally relevant in the concert hall, where he enjoys singing a large concert repertoire and appears with leading orchestras, in Britain, Germany, Italy, Belgium, Spain, Denmark and the U.S.
His many recordings and videos include Wagner's Der Ring des Nibelungen, Parsifal, Mozart's Cosi Van Tutte, The marriage of Figaro, Don Giovanni, the sound track of the film Amadeus, Beethoven's Choral Symphony, Handel's Messiah, and the Verdi Requiem.
He is one of the busiest singers on the international opera circuit, traveling thousands of miles every year. Engagements in 1995 include singing Claggart in Britten’s Billy Budd for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden, London; Wagner operas include Sachs in Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, the Wanderer in Siegfried and Hagen in Götterdämmerung for the Deutsche Staatsoper, Berlin; Rocco in Beethoven’s Fidelio with the Deutsche Staatsoper company in Jerusalem; and further performances in Der Ring des Nibelungen at the Bayreuth Festival.
Future performances include King Fisher in The Midsummer Marriage and Mephistopheles in GounodΓÇÖs Faust for the Royal Opera, Covent Garden; Ochs in R. StraussΓÇÖ Der Rosenkavalier for English National Opera; The Ring for the Bayerische Staatsoper, M├╝nich, and concerts and recordings throughout the world.
