Brian Frutiger

Character Tenor

 

For over 25 years, actor and character tenor Brian Frutiger has appeared across the United States in over 100 roles in opera, operetta, music theater and theater.

 

From 2008-2014, Brian was on the roster of The Metropolitan Opera where he appeared in such roles as Poisson (Adriana Lecouvreur), Benvolio (Romeo et Juliette), several roles as a part of the Ensemble of William Kentridge's critically acclaimed production of Shostakovich’s The Nose, Boyar in 

Attendance (Boris Godunov), and Scaramuccio (Ariadne auf Naxos).

 

In addition to his roles at The MET, Mr. Frutiger has sung many of the great character and spieltenor roles at opera houses across the United States. Highlights include El Remendado (Carmen) at San Francisco Opera; Goro (Madama Butterfly) at Sarasota Opera, Opera Memphis and Opera Coeur d’Alene; Tanzmeister (Ariadne auf Naxos) at Sarasota Opera; Bardolfo 

(Falstaff) at Opera Omaha; Pang (Turandot) at Connecticut Opera, Sacramento Opera, and Wichita Grand Opera; Abolitionist Tappan (Amistad) at Spoleto Festival, USA; and both Don Basilio and Don Curzio (Le Nozze di Figaro) at Wichita Grand Opera. This season Brian returns to Wichita as Major General Stanley (The Pirates of Penzance).

 

A classically trained actor, Brian regularly returns to the professional theater. This past season, Brian appeared as Mr. Sowerberry (Oliver!) and in the ensemble of All Is Calm – both with Theater Latté Da in Minneapolis. Other credits include Robert Steele and Mr. Oscar (Dessa Rose) at TheatreWorks (CA), Mitch Mahoney (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) also with Theater Latté Da, Metellus Cimber (Julius Caesar) with Shakespeare’s Motley Crew in Chicago, Jamie (My Fair Lady) and Anselmo (Man of La Mancha) with Music Theatre Wichita, and the ensemble of The Student Prince with Paper Mill Playhouse. This season, Brian joins Penumbra Theatre in St. Paul as Chaucer in the upcoming production of Adrienne Kennedy’s play The Owl Answers.

 

Equally at home on the concert stage Mr. Frutiger has appeared with the San Francisco Symphony as Le Troisième Messager in Stravinsky’s Le Rossignol under the baton of Michael Tilson Thomas, and Der Jüngling in Schumann’s Das Paradies und die Peri under the baton of Ingo Metzmacher. Brian has also appeared as Tenor Soloist with Fresno Philharmonic (Coronation Mass in C Major), St. Olaf College (Elijah), Wichita Choral Society (Messiah), San Francisco’s Old First Concerts (Brahms’ Ziguenerlieder), Normandale Lutheran (St. John Passion), Civic Orchestra of Minneapolis (Magnificat), and Oratorio Society of Minnesota 

(Messiah, Esther, Mozart’s Requiem). In addition, Brian has sung many of Bach’s liturgical cantatas.

 

A native Kansan, Mr. Frutiger has won several awards including a Kansas Cultural Trust Enabling Grant, 2nd Place at the Heinz Rehfuss Singing Actor Awards, the Mann Fellowship, and he has competed at the Regional Level of the Metropolitan National Council auditions. Mr. Frutiger has pursued doctoral studies at the University of Minnesota and holds degrees in music from Wichita State University and theater from Drake University. Mr. Frutiger was also honored to return to Wichita State University as a Distinguished Alumni speaker.