Martina Arroyo

Arroyo is a renowned American opera singer who has left a lasting impact on the world of classical music. Born in 1936 in New York City, to a father from Puerto Rico and a mother from South Carolina, Arroyo and her family settled in Harlem. Arroyo attended Hunter College High School, and earned her bachelor’s degree in music education at Hunter in 1956. It was her voice teacher at school, Joseph Turnau, who recognized Arroyo’s talent and introduced her to renowned voice coach Marinka Gurewich. Gurewich recognized Arroyo’s immense talent and trained her for free until she launched her career.

In 1958, she auditioned and won the Metropolitan Opera’s Auditions on the Air, which gave her a chance to study both music and acting at the Met’s Kathryn Long School. Arroyo made her Carnegie Hall debut in 1958, in the American premiere of Ildebrando Pizzetti’s Murder in the Cathedral. She quickly gained recognition for her powerful voice and dramatic performances, and soon became a regular performer at the Metropolitan Opera. Over the course of her career, Arroyo performed in a wide range of operas, including Verdi’s Aida, Mozart’s The Magic Flute, and Strauss’s Der Rosenkavalier. She was known for her ability to convey deep emotion through her performances, and she was praised for her technical skill and precise phrasing. 

In addition to her career in opera, Arroyo devoted much of her time to teaching and mentoring young musicians. She taught at the Manhattan School of Music and served as a master teacher at the Juilliard School. She also founded the Martina Arroyo Foundation, which provides young singers with scholarships and performance opportunities. Throughout her career, Arroyo received numerous awards and accolades, and in 2013 she was awarded the Kennedy Center Honors for her lifetime of achievement in the arts.

Today, Arroyo is widely regarded as one of the greatest opera singers of the 20th century. Her powerful voice, dramatic performances, and dedication to teaching have inspired generations of musicians and music lovers around the world.