LA Opera’s Così fan tutte
Photo: Cory Weaver
“Despina is soprano Ana María Martínez, who made her LA Opera debut in 1997. She delivers a delightful performance with more than a nod to the queen of comedy, Carol Burnett. Martínez is especially zany in the scenes that have her character donning the disguises of an electro-zapping doctor and a seriously scribbling notary.”
“It was Ana María Martínez’s Despina who took over once she arrived on the scene, irresistibly smug and smirking like Lily Tomlin, less charming than perky, and singing magnificently.”
“Ms. Martinez is the best thing about this show, stealing every scene she’s in, and her hilarious portrayal alone is worth the price of admission.”
“But if there is a true show-stealer in this production, it is Ana María Martínez as the maid Despina. With impeccable comedic timing and a vocal dexterity that effortlessly navigates Mozart’s intricate writing, Martínez turns Despina into a force of nature, a cunning puppeteer who delights in the chaos she helps orchestrate. Whether disguised as a flamboyant doctor or a suspiciously untrustworthy notary, she brings an almost vaudevillian physicality to the role, elevating the farce to an even more delightful level.”