To celebrate and spotlight some of the field’s top artists and emerging singers, OPERA America recently asked member companies to nominate the singers and production artists who have caught their ears and eyes.

Pacific Opera Project, producing Rossini’s comic rarity La gazzetta in 2018, had a minor crisis on its hands when the baritone cast in the lead role of Filippo withdrew at the eleventh hour. His replacement, Armando Contreras, had not even auditioned for the company — not an ideal situation for Josh Shaw, the production’s director and POP’s artistic director. “I had my doubts,” Shaw confesses. “But halfway through the rehearsal period, it was clear it was going to work."

In the years since, Contreras has become POP’s go-to comic baritone, appearing subsequently in Bizet’s Don Procopio (2021) and, this past fall, Don Bucefalo, a bel canto rarity by Antonio Cagnoni and Calisto Bassi. (The LA Times hailed the latter portrayal as “one of the performances of the year.”)

Contreras’ urge to entertain started early — from when he was little more than a toddler, imitating Luis Miguel for his parents and their friends. “Armando’s baritone is liquid and comfortable, and he absolutely shines as a comedic performer,” says POP’s executive director, Katherine Powers. But aside from his comic roles, Contreras is forging a reputation as an interpreter of contemporary work, starting with The Glimmerglass Festival’s 2021 digital world premiere of Aleksandra Vrebalov and Deborah Brevoort’s The Knock. He has also sung with Beth Morrison Projects.

“With new music, you have to use everything in your toolbox,” Contreras says. “You have to sing at the top of your range, at the bottom of your range, triple forte, triple piano. But The Knock prepared me. I thought, ‘I’ve done that triple forte at the top; I’ve done that mixed falsetto; I can do it here.’ And it was fun.”

Aside from his thriving career on stage, Contreras teaches voice at the University of Northern Colorado. The position allows him to spend time off the road with his wife, Logan, and two-year-old son, Theo.

Armando Contreras is one of four In the Wings profiles featured in our spring 2025 magazine. You can read all the profiles here.

In the Wings is underwritten by generous support from Laurie E. Nelson Randlett, trustee of the Sacramento Philharmonic & Opera.