Martins Smaukstelis is a Latvian-born tenor and the winner of the Emmy Destinn Awards 2024. He recently made his debuts in the roles of Rodolfo in La bohème (The Opera Makers), Duke of Mantua in Rigoletto (New Opera Singapore), Tamino in Die Zauberflöte (Nevill Holt Festival) and most recently the role of Vladimir Lensky in Eugene Onegin (HGO).
Previous roles include Prince in Dvořák's Rusalka (New Opera Singapore), the title role in Cavalli's L'Egisto (HGO), Spoletta in Puccini's Tosca, and Nemorino in Donizetti’s L’elisir d’amore (Devon Opera). He has sung in John Ramster's iconic staged Messiah with Merry Opera, and created the role of Prince Charming in their Cinderella23.
Martins also created the role of Adrian in Hopes & Fears, based on Debussy's L'enfant prodigue, and has sung the roles of Heinrich in Ethel Smyth's Der Wald and Faust in Lili Boulanger's Faust et Hélène in concert performances, with The Opera Makers.
A Masters of Arts graduate of the Royal Academy of Music, Martins began his music career as a violinist. He has sung with some of the most prominent companies including Glyndebourne Festival, Garsington, Wexford and The Grange Festival. He enjoys performing in concert and oratorio, with past performances including Mozart's Requiem at St Martin-in-the-Fields, Beethoven's 9th Symphony and Mozart's Coronation mass with the Buckingham Choral Society.