Vern Sutton (born April 8, 1938) is an American operatic tenor, opera director, and academic. A founding member of the Minnesota Opera, he has created roles in the world premieres of several contemporary operas with that company; including works composed for his voice by Dominick Argento, Libby Larsen, Eric Stokes, Conrad Susa, and Robert Ward. He was also a regularly featured singer on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion for three decades, beginning with its first broadcast in 1974.[1]
From 2002 to 2005, he was director of Opera in the Ozarks at Inspiration Point. For 36 years, he taught on the voice faculty; further, for 30 years, he directed the opera program of the music school at the University of Minnesota.[2]