Ashley Putnam

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Ashley Putnam (b. 1952) is an American soprano from New York City. Her professional singing career began in 1976 and has spanned over 30 years.

Known for her wide-ranging repertoire, expressive acting, and glamorous presence, Putnam has performed in the world's most prestigious opera houses, including the Metropolitan Opera, Covent Garden, Vienna Staatsoper, Berlin Staatsoper, La Fenice, Cologne Opera, Frankfurt Opera, Teatro Colón (Buenos Aires), Glyndebourne Opera, New York City Opera, Chicago Lyric Opera, San Francisco Opera, Houston Grand Opera, The Santa Fe Opera, Los Angeles Opera, Washington Opera, San Diego Opera, Seattle Opera, Aix-en-Provence Festival, Dallas Opera, Nice Opera, Scottish Opera, Opera Theatre of St. Louis, Netherlands Opera, Brussels Opera, Santiago Opera, Zurich Opera, Strasbourg Opera, and the Maggio Musicale in Florence.

Her concert credits include performances with the New York Philharmonic, Pittsburgh Symphony, Concertgebouw, San Francisco Symphony, Los Angeles Symphony, Denver Symphony, Philharmonia Baroque, Columbus Symphony, Duluth Symphony, Seattle Symphony, Portland Symphony, Huntsville Symphony, Montreal Symphony, Tacoma Symphony, Austin Symphony, St. Louis Symphony.

1 Early Life & Career
2 Professional career
3 Recordings
4 Links

[edit] Early Life & Career

Ashely Putnam began her music career playing the flute. Her mother was an amateur singer and was a regular soloist at the church where she also sang in the choir. The young Ashley began playing the flute and attended the Interlochen Center for the Arts in the summers during high school. Upon graduation from high school, Ashley enrolled at the University of Michigan School of Music as a flute major. There she sang in the university choirs and realized she had a voice when she was given solos in choir. She soon switched to a vocal major and, in 1973, was a Summer apprentice with Santa Fe Opera. She completed her Bachelor of Music degree program in May, 1974, and then began her graduate studies at UM. She returned to Santa Fe's Apprentice Program in summer 1975, and then finished her Master of Music degree in December, 1975. In the Spring of 1976, Ashley was one of two winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions.

[edit] Professional career

After winning the MET Auditions, Ashley's career took off. Her operatic roles have included Violetta (La traviata), Mimi (La bohème), Lucia (Lucia di Lammermoor), Arabella (Arabella), Fiordiligi (Così fan tutte), Musetta (La bohème), Vitellia (La clemenza di Tito), Anna Maurrant (Street Scene), and many others. She has sung in every major opera house in America and most of the world's leading houses.

Ashley Putnam is now a member of the voice faculty at the Manhattan School of Music, and has a private studio in New York. She has taught masterclasses throughout the country, adjudicates for the Metropolitan National Council Auditions, and has served on the voice faculties of DePaul University, and the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester.