Bio
Mason Fontanilla O’Brien is a baritone from Memphis, Tennessee and a returning Artist in Residence with Opera Colorado for the 2026-27 Season. This season, he looks forward to performing the First Apparition in Macbeth, Daddy/Tim in The Snowy Day, Teacher/Space Kitty/Taxi Driver in the touring production of Earth to Kenzie and singing in the chorus of The School for Lovers (Così fan tutte). During the 2025-26 Season, he appeared on the Ellie Caulkins mainstage as Barone Douphol in La traviata and Prince Yamadori in Madama Butterfly, as well as in Opera Colorado’s touring productions of Roméo et Juliette (Mercutio) and The Pirates of Penzance (Major General). Mason holds a Master of Music degree from the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music and a Bachelor of Music degree from the University of Kentucky. Favorite recent roles include Count Gil in Il segreto di Susanna with Fort Collins Opera, Leporello in Don Giovanni at Prague Summer Nights, Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and the title role in Gianni Schicchi at Lamont Opera, and the Imperial Commissioner in Madama Butterfly with the Colorado Springs Philharmonic. When he’s not on stage, he can usually be found searching for good coffee, a decent gym, or the one rehearsal room where the piano is actually in tune. Mason can usually be found exploring Colorado’s mountains, thrifting for vinyl records, or convincing friends to see another Rockies game.