Larisa sings classics of the Cuban repertoire alongside the Chamber Orchestra of Havana, Dave Matthews, Carlos Varela,
Orlando Alonso on the piano, Yosvany Terry, Aldo Lopez-Gavilán, Daiana García, Jorge Gomez and Joshua Bell. Live at Lincoln
Center. 2016.
Larisa Martínez - Voice of An Angel
Growing up in a small town in the
mountains of Puerto Rico, Larisa Martínez
was exposed at an early age to the wealth
of her island home’s music culture, from boleros and
salsa to the folkloric rhythms of bomba and plena.
So, when she heard opera for the first time, she was
stunned, asking herself, “What in the world is this?”
There had never been any classical musicians in
her family, so her sudden fascination with this
demanding style came as a bit of a surprise. “I
quickly developed a taste for it,” Larisa recalls, “and
I thought, ‘This is the most powerful and beautiful
thing I have ever experienced, and I want to be a part
of it!’”
Today, few in the opera world are unfamiliar with
Larisa’s multi-faceted talents, her captivating stage
presence and luxuriant soprano voice. Since her
debut in a featured role just nine years ago, the
singer has shared her artistry with fans in major
productions on three continents and has gained
well-deserved acclaim for her performances with
Andrea Bocelli on the Italian pop opera star’s tours
throughout Europe, the U.S., Canada, and South
America. She has also been frequently showcased in
concerts featuring Grammy award-winning violinist
Joshua Bell.
Opera critics have been smitten with Larisa’s
performances, lauding the young singer for her
interpretive prowess, range of vocal personas, and
her vivacious charisma. “Her aria, the famous and
dazzling ‘Quando m’en vo,’ is enchanting,” wrote
Roark Littlefield for Stagebuddy.com, “Her voice
moving from that of a young flirtatious girl to that of
a sultry, experienced woman in one effortless
breath.” George Grella of New York Classical Review
was equally impressed, writing that “Martínez was
mesmerizing.” Fred Cohn of Opera News noted that
she “brought a smoky soprano to the key role of the
poet Corinna and cut an elegant figure, the grace of
her stage deportment matching that of her singing.”
LATINA Style caught up with Larisa while she
was in Puerto Rico to visit family and perform. She is
a native of the small municipality of Orocovis, just 50
miles inland from San Juan. So centrally located in
the island’s mountainous interior that it is known as
the “Corazón de Puerto Rico,” Orocovis is also
referred to as “The Music Capital of Puerto Rico,”
because it is the hometown of so many
accomplished musicians. Among the most notable
are cuatro (the small guitar indigenous to the island)
master Edwin Colón Zayas; Bobby Valentín, a bassist
and revered salsa bandleader; vocalists Fabián
Torres and Manny Manuel; and the late Manuel A.
Jiménez, a legendary exponent of the island’s rustic
plena style. Today, the name of Larisa Martínez can
be added to that illustrious list.
“The reason I’m in Puerto Rico is to help out
with the family,” explains Larisa, whose mother just
retired after a four-decade career as a nurse. “She
was the first one in her family to go to college,” she
continues. “My whole family still lives in Orocovis,
and I consider myself an Orocoveña -- a proud
Jibara (country person),” she chuckles. While
the effects of the recent storms can still be
seen, she reports that things are finally looking
better. “There’s still so much to do but,
fortunately, nature comes back quickly here,” she
adds. “Right after the storm it looked like a bomb
had gone off, but now it’s looking better,
although there are scars that will remain and that
we’ll probably never get rid of.” Another reason for
the trip: The singer had participated in a fundraiser
for Puerto Rico in New York City, and one of the
items in auction was that she would come to San
Juan to perform. “Someone bought it, so that’s part
of my trip, to fulfil that obligation.”
Although she went to a school that had no
music education at all, she had a talent for singing,
and has been singing since the third grade. “The first
time I ever sang on stage was in school,” Larisa
recalls. “Our teacher had composed an anthem for
the school and she wanted to teach the students to
sing it. She convinced me that I could do it, and I did.
That led to talent shows and other opportunities.”
By Mark Holston
22 LATINAStyle www.latinastyle.com Vol. 25, No. 1, 2019
/Stagebuddy.com
/www.latinastyle.com
