President’s Message

Dear lovers of art and culture,

For as long as I can remember, music—particularly opera and classical genres—has profoundly shaped my passion and interest in cultural expressions. My love for this vital genre began when I was just a child in Cuba, where I had the privilege of attending concerts featuring legendary figures of classical music.

Over time, the circumstances in my beloved Cuba forced me to seek new horizons. That is how I arrived on the shores of this cherished Puerto Rican land, which has adopted me as one of its own. I came carrying a suitcase filled with my treasured LP records of classical music. After settling in Puerto Rico, I felt an undeniable desire to contribute to the island’s renowned classical music institutions.

My involvement with Puerto Rico’s classical music scene began in 1974 when I managed to arrange for Luciano Pavarotti to perform on our island. I was later invited to join the Board of Directors of the young Ópera de Puerto Rico organization, where I served as Artistic Director for a decade until 1986. Luciano made his brilliant debut at the University of Puerto Rico Theater on December 15, 1975, earning a standing ovation from a euphoric, packed audience. During my tenure with Ópera de Puerto Rico, we produced twelve operas and two concerts, all featuring celebrated luminaries of the operatic world.

Simultaneously, I joined an initiative in 1976 led by a group of entrepreneurs and professionals who united to relaunch Pro-Arte Musical after nearly two decades of inactivity. I had the privilege of serving as Artistic Director for this organization from 1977 to 1980. During that time, I oversaw 27 performances, showcasing the finest local talents like Justino Díaz and Pablo Elvira, as well as international stars such as Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, José Carreras (the famous “Three Tenors”), Alfredo Kraus, Renata Scotto, Giuseppe di Stefano, Mirella Freni, Anna Moffo, and instrumentalists like Lili Kraus, Lazar Berman, Alexis Weissenberg, Alicia de Larrocha, Andre Watts, Ruggiero Ricci, and the Romero Brothers, among others.

Later, in 1986, I founded CulturArte de Puerto Rico alongside an extraordinary group of music lovers. Since then, this organization has essentially been the realization of a deeply personal passion.

With immense pride and gratitude to our audience, who has supported us for over three decades, CulturArte is now celebrated as one of Puerto Rico’s leading institutions for producing artistic and cultural performances. To date, we have presented more than fifty top-tier productions. The most prominent figures in classical and operatic repertoire have graced our stages, captivating generations of audiences with their talent and artistry. These include international stars like Plácido Domingo, Luciano Pavarotti, Roberto Alagna, Piotr Beczala, Anna Netrebko, Anita Rachvelishvili, Angela Gheorghiu, Karita Mattila, and Juan Diego Flórez, as well as local talents such as Ana María Martínez, Rafael Dávila, César Hernández, Justino Díaz, and Antonio Barasorda. Additionally, we have featured world-class instrumentalists like Lang Lang and Andre Watts, ballet icons such as Mikhail Baryshnikov, and distinguished authors and speakers like Guillermo Cabrera Infante and Leonardo Padura.

My personal enthusiasm, as well as that of everyone working in this great organization, remains tireless and unwavering. We are always focused on offering our audience unforgettable cultural experiences that resonate within the collective consciousness.

Thank you for being part of this great endeavor! I look forward to your continued support.

Affectionately,

Guillermo L. Martínez