Tomlinson was born in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, England. He trained as a civil engineer at Manchester University before deciding on a career in opera at age 21.[1] He studied with Patrick McGuigan at the Royal Northern College of Music and with Otakar Kraus. He is now President of the RNCM. Whilst studying at the RNCM, he was a member of the Manchester Universities Gilbert and Sullivan Society (MUGSS). He sings regularly with the Royal Opera and English National Opera, and has appeared with all the major British opera companies. He sang at the Bayreuth Festival in Germany every year from 1988 to 2006, as Wotan, the Wanderer, King Marke, Titurel, Gurnemanz, Hagen and the Dutchman. In 2008, he created the title role in Harrison Birtwistle's opera The Minotaur at the Royal Opera House.
