Ana María Martínez Named 2026 Texas State Musician-Classical

Ana María Martínez has had an international career on the world’s great stages, but Houston, Texas is her home—and Houston Grand Opera her home company. So it was a proud moment for all of us at HGO to learn that the state of Texas has honored the Grammy-winning soprano we are privileged to call one of our own.

This week, the Texas Commission on the Arts announced that Martínez has been named one of a select group of state artists, appointing her the 2026 Texas State Musician-Classical in recognition of her artistic excellence and dedication to the arts in Texas as a performer, educator, and leader.

“I am thrilled to know that classical music is recognized and celebrated by our great state of Texas, and I join my fellow appointees in joyfully supporting music and the arts in our community,” Martínez said in a statement through Rice University, where she serves as a professor at the Shepherd School of Music. “It is an honor to be part of the legacy of our state as we recognize and champion all that music can do to lift our community, inspire our nation and contribute to the betterment of all of society.”

A beloved figure on the Wortham stage, Martínez has delivered masterful performances at HGO in roles such as Cio-Cio-San in Madame Butterfly, Marguerite in Faust, and the title roles in both Carmen and Florencia en el Amazonas. This winter, she performed a special role in West Side Story—Bridal Shop Owner—and moved audiences with her stunning rendition of “Somewhere.”

Martínez also helped shape the company’s artistic vision as HGO’s first-ever Artistic Advisor, serving from 2019 to 2024. Please join us in congratulating Ana María Martínez—sublime soprano, dedicated educator, and tireless champion of the arts.