Born and raised in Tacoma, WA, baritone Ryan Christopher Bede made his Seattle Opera solo debut in May 2017 as the Second Priest in The Magic Flute, followed by Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Jim Crowley in An American Dream and Fiorello in The Barber Of Seville in the 2017-18 season. He recently sang Papageno in The Magic Flute with Opera Idaho and performed his fifth Schaunard in La Boheme with Coeur d'Alene Opera in partnership with the Spokane Symphony. He also returned to Tacoma Opera as Moralés/Le Dancaïre in Carmen, after having sung Tiger Brown in The Threeepenny Opera, Papageno, Mercutio in Roméo et Juliette, and the Pirate King in The Pirates Of Penzance in recent seasons. He also performed in Spectrum Dance Theater's acclaimed production of Carmina Burana as well as Bach's Christmas Oratorio with Early Music Vancouver/Pacific Musicworks, conducted by Stephen Stubbs. He sang the role of the Land Speculator in the premiere of Sarah Mattox's opera Heart Mountain with Vespertine Opera and reprised the role of Count Almaviva in Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro with the newly-formed Bellevue City Opera. He has been a frequent soloist with Orchestra Seattle in such masterpieces as Fauré's Requiem, Duruflé's Requiem, and Vaughan Williams's Fantasia On Christmas Carols. He sang Rutter's Mass Of The Children with the Everett Chorale and Bellevue Presbyterian Church, and in the summer of 2017 he sang Mozart's Requiem in Sofia and Varna, Bulgaria under the baton of Dr. Steven Zopfi and Dr. Scott Glysson.
Other recent performances have included a concert of French opera selections for the Seattle/Nantes Sister City Organization, Samuel Barber's Dover Beach with the Seattle-based Bella Sala Ensemble, Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus with Skagit Opera, and Albert in Werther with Vashon Opera. He spent a summer as an Emerging Artist with Opera New Jersey and has also sung Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Ben in Menotti's The Telephone and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia in recent seasons. Favorite concert engagements have included Handel's Messiah (Our Lady Of Fatima Parish and Federal Way Symphony) and Israel In Egypt, Bach's Magnificat, and numerous cantata performances.
He is a former Young Artist with Tacoma Opera and the Aspen Opera Theater Center, and was a two-time recipient of the Seattle Opera Guild Singers Training Fund Grant. He completed his studies at the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington, and now frequently performs as a lecturer and preview artist for the Seattle Opera Guild. He presently serves as the baritone soloist and section leader at Bellevue Presbyterian Church, and teaches voice at the University Of Puget Sound and Tacoma Community College, as well as maintaining a private studio in the Tacoma area.
Other recent performances have included a concert of French opera selections for the Seattle/Nantes Sister City Organization, Samuel Barber's Dover Beach with the Seattle-based Bella Sala Ensemble, Dr. Falke in Die Fledermaus with Skagit Opera, and Albert in Werther with Vashon Opera. He spent a summer as an Emerging Artist with Opera New Jersey and has also sung Count Almaviva in Le nozze di Figaro, Captain Corcoran in H.M.S. Pinafore, Guglielmo in Cosi fan tutte, Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, Ben in Menotti's The Telephone and Fiorello in Il barbiere di Siviglia in recent seasons. Favorite concert engagements have included Handel's Messiah (Our Lady Of Fatima Parish and Federal Way Symphony) and Israel In Egypt, Bach's Magnificat, and numerous cantata performances.
He is a former Young Artist with Tacoma Opera and the Aspen Opera Theater Center, and was a two-time recipient of the Seattle Opera Guild Singers Training Fund Grant. He completed his studies at the University of Puget Sound and the University of Washington, and now frequently performs as a lecturer and preview artist for the Seattle Opera Guild. He presently serves as the baritone soloist and section leader at Bellevue Presbyterian Church, and teaches voice at the University Of Puget Sound and Tacoma Community College, as well as maintaining a private studio in the Tacoma area.