MUSIC

To celebrate the unveiling of a planned Performing Arts and Conference Center at the University of St. Thomas, world-renowned soprano and Houston Grand Opera favorite Ana Maria Martinez (pictured) will perform a benefit concert Cantos De Mi Corazon, Songs from My Heart at 7:30 p.m., Thursday, May 12, Wednesday, December 14, 2011 in Zilkha Hall of the Hobby Center. To kick off this inaugural fundraising event, Martinez will sing selections ranging from Broadway to Puccini’s Madame Butterfly.

The concert will feature Cantos De Mi Corazón: Songs of My Heart, a collection of classic arias and Broadway favorites Martínez says have inspired her during critical moments of her life. Martinez is a Latin Grammy award-winning star whose dramatic range distinguishes her as one of today’s most sophisticated lyric sopranos. Her career spans the world’s opera houses, concert halls, recording studios and movie theatres. Most recently, Martinez made a major role debut as Cio-Cio-San, the central character in HGO’s performance of Madame Butterfly.

This memorable event, chaired by Martin and Kelli Cohen Fein, celebrates the University’s vision for enhancing the visual and performing arts for the campus and the Houston community. Thanks to a generous grant from The Alkek Williams Foundation, UST has engaged Studio Red Architects to begin the design of a Performing Arts and Conference Center that will occupy a block of University campus. UST friend and benefactor Margaret Alkek Williams will be honored for her generosity to the arts.

In keeping with St. Thomas’ philosophy that fine and performing arts are essential to its mission of educating leaders of faith and character, the design will include a mid-size concert hall, a black box flex theater and a multi-functional conference center. Adjacent to the Menil Collection and Annunciation Orthodox School, this world-class theater and conference center will add another jewel to Houston’s Museum District.

Benefit concert tickets are $5,000, $1,000 and $500. Seating is limited. Reception begins at 6:30 p.m. and dinner follows the event.