Nicholas Tolputt

Rumpel rests at a crucial juncture in Nicholas Tolputt’s career. After accumulating a lifetime of experience in opera, music, and storytelling, this project offers him the opportunity to take the next step and assume creative control over both a work and an idea. Rumpel represents that future for him. It is a distillation of themes — fatherhood, masculinity, isolation and hope — that sit close to his identity as a performer and, now, as a writer. 

Nicholas has long been driven by a desire to contribute to the artistic life of Australia. As a young countertenor, he searched extensively for Australian repertoire written specifically for his voice type. He pored through music libraries, contacted composers and reached out to fellow singers, trying to find pieces created with his voice in mind. Despite this, he found no single Australian operatic work for countertenor. He wants to change that. 

Through Rumpel, Nicholas hopes to generate momentum in creating space for the unique qualities of the countertenor voice to shine. He wants young countertenors to know that they can express far more with their voice than what the traditional European classical canon offers. He wants them to feel part of a living community of Australian artists — to understand that their voices are not museum pieces, but vital elements of the country’s evolving cultural landscape. 

Alongside his role as writer and performer in Rumpel, Nicholas continues to build a respected career as a countertenor, known for his musical intelligence, expressive range and commitment to expanding the possibilities of his art form. This project marks a significant and deeply personal step in that ongoing journey.