Performance Year: 2025
Puerto Rican singer Larisa Martínez has been praised and sought after for her “smoky soprano” (Opera News), gracing many of the world’s top opera and concert stages, including recent debuts as a soloist at the Kennedy Center, Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and the Hollywood Bowl.
In 2016, Ms. Martínez was invited as part of President Barack Obama’s artistic delegation to Cuba, in an effort to expand cultural collaboration and friendships between the two countries, culminating in the Emmy-nominated PBS special, “Live from Lincoln Center: Seasons of Cuba,” in which she was showcased. For the last three years, Ms. Martínez has toured with tenor Andrea Bocelli, performing throughout North America, South America, and Europe. Martínez also tours extensively with violinist Joshua Bell. In 2021, they first presented a program entitled “Voice and the Violin” that explored repertoire ranging from classical art song and opera to musical theater and selections by Puerto Rican and Spanish composers. The “Voice and the Violin” has since been presented at the Brevard Music Center, Saratoga Performing Arts Center, Chautauqua Amphitheater, and at the Ravinia Festival. Other recent engagements include Musetta in La Bohème (CulturArte), Violetta in La Traviata (Wichita Grand Opera), Sophie in Werther (Culturarte), and Maria in West Side Story alongside tenor Michael Fabiano (Festival Napa Valley).
In 2016, she won the Metropolitan Opera’s National Council Audition in Puerto Rico as well as the Angel Ramos Foundation Award and the Audience Prize. Soon after, she was invited to the Metropolitan Opera Guild 2018 Annual Gala as a guest artist to honor Anna Netrebko. Additionally, EastWest Sounds Studios used her voice for its new virtual instrument software, “Voices of Opera,” used by composers and engineers worldwide. In addition to studying Vocal Performance at the Music Conservatory in San Juan, Larisa simultaneously received her Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Sciences with high honors from the University of Puerto Rico. She went on to receive a Master’s degree from Mannes School of Music in New York City. Larisa is a board member on the Silk Road Ensemble and a proud artistic resident of Turnaround Arts, which strives to transform schools in need through the arts. Martinez is also passionate about representing her Boricua cultural heritage through projects and performances.
