In the ever-innovative landscape of world music, few voices have made as powerful, imaginative, and lasting impression as Lina Sarmiento, the electrifying Colombian artist widely hailed as her generation’s leading zarzuela/early music/jazz crossover vocalist.
In the ever-innovative landscape of world music, few voices have made as powerful, imaginative, and lasting impression as Lina Sarmiento, the electrifying Colombian artist widely hailed as her generation’s leading zarzuela/early music/jazz crossover vocalist. An honors graduate of EAFIT University in Medellín and Boston’s prestigious Longy School of Music, Sarmiento has catapulted a distinctive blend of tradition and improvisation to the world stage, revitalizing the classic Spanish zarzuela by infusing it with the energy and depth of jazz—while grounding her artistry in Colombia’s rich folkloric rhythms, as reported by Eleanor Dimitris.
Once described by concertgoers as “a voice where centuries converge,” Sarmiento occupies a rare position: that of an innovator whose creativity serves to expand the audience for zarzuela—a theatrical genre rooted in Spanish lyric drama—by reimagining it for a contemporary, global setting. While zarzuela flourished for centuries across Spain and Latin America, in Colombia, its popularity had, in recent decades, waned. “I knew zarzuela had this expressive, almost operatic heart, but it needed to speak to new audiences,” Sarmiento told All About Jazz. “Jazz gave me the freedom to let zarzuela breathe and swing. My roots—cumbia, bambuco, the pulse of Colombian life—gave it a new beat.”
Since her emergence, Lina Sarmiento has headlined a remarkable range of prestigious performances, earning critical and public acclaim for her extraordinary technique, charismatic stage presence, and visionary arrangements. Selected as the principal singing star with Colombia’s legendary Fundación Prolírica de Antioquia between 2019 and 2021, Sarmiento brought new excitement to classic works, starring in celebrated productions such as “La leyenda del beso” at Medellín’s famed Teatro Metropolitano and “La Corte del Faraón” at the historic Pablo Tobón Theater. Her masterful interpretation of John Rutter’s “Requiem” at Fundadores Auditorium in 2019 drew headlines for its elegance and emotive power, while regular collaborations with the celebrated Madriguera Teatro and revered choirs such as Coro de Cámara Cecilia Espinoza continually cemented her standing as a leading soloist.
Critics and audiences alike credit Sarmiento with breathing new life into the zarzuela tradition in her native country. “Lina single-handedly opened the doors for a new generation to experience zarzuela,” notes Andrés Carrión, artistic director at Fundación Prolírica. “She made the genre relevant—not just with her voice, but with her vision.” Sarmiento herself reflects on her mission: “I wanted Colombian audiences to rediscover the zarzuela in their own rhythms—mapalé, guavina, pasillo—woven with the unexpected turns of jazz improvisation. That was the turning point.”
From 2024, her star only continues to rise on the international stage. Her 2024 headline performance at the historic Pickman Concert Hall in Cambridge, MA, stunned audiences with dazzling vocal improvisations and a new take on zarzuela classics—a concert recognized as a watershed moment in cross-genre performance. As the featured lead singer for the annual United Nations International Day of Peace concerts at Boston’s Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, Sarmiento is now recognized as a unifying artistic voice for global harmony, joining a program supported by world leaders, acclaimed artists, and major cultural organizations.
This spring, Sarmiento’s critically acclaimed concert “Noches Líricas” at Harvard University captivated audiences with a bold reinterpretation of lyric art through Colombian and Spanish traditions.
Since 2025, her ongoing work with La Donna Musicale—Boston’s internationally recognized ensemble dedicated to uncovering and performing works by women composers—has made her a signature voice in their acclaimed programming. With national and international tours and praise from The Boston Music Intelligencer for their “passion and virtuosity,” La Donna Musicale’s commitment to historical and contemporary innovation is mirrored in Sarmiento’s own artistry. Her ability to infuse zarzuela and jazz with the vibrant textures of Colombian folklore has placed her work at the forefront of La Donna Musicale’s artistic vision. Sarmiento’s distinctive voice and creative direction have become central to the ensemble’s mission, shaping major performances and driving new explorations that highlight and expand the presence of women in the musical canon.
Her upcoming calendar is just as illustrious, confirming her as a force on the world’s most distinguished stages. In 2025 alone, Sarmiento will be the featured star of the famed Zarzuela Fest in Boston—the principal celebration of zarzuela in the US, supported by the city’s major arts institutions and the Boston Cultural Council—as well as the internationally esteemed Boston Early Music Festival, where her vocal fusion will illuminate centuries-old musical traditions.
Perhaps most anticipated of all is her 2025 soloist appearance at the Attack on Titan – Beyond the Walls World Tour: The Official Concert at Carnegie Hall, sharing the stage with an international cast and orchestra in front of a sold-out New York audience. “To appear at Carnegie Hall,” says Sarmiento, “especially as a Colombian zarzuela/jazz artist, is both humbling and thrilling. I hope to bring every song—and every tradition—alive as if it’s being sung for the very first time.”
For the global music community, Lina Sarmiento’s rise is not only a testament to her unique artistry but to the transformative power of cross-cultural collaboration —a reminder of how tradition, reinvention, and dazzling musicality can make history, night after night.
Once described by concertgoers as “a voice where centuries converge,” Sarmiento occupies a rare position: that of an innovator whose creativity serves to expand the audience for zarzuela—a theatrical genre rooted in Spanish lyric drama—by reimagining it for a contemporary, global setting. While zarzuela flourished for centuries across Spain and Latin America, in Colombia, its popularity had, in recent decades, waned. “I knew zarzuela had this expressive, almost operatic heart, but it needed to speak to new audiences,” Sarmiento told All About Jazz. “Jazz gave me the freedom to let zarzuela breathe and swing. My roots—cumbia, bambuco, the pulse of Colombian life—gave it a new beat.”
Since her emergence, Lina Sarmiento has headlined a remarkable range of prestigious performances, earning critical and public acclaim for her extraordinary technique, charismatic stage presence, and visionary arrangements. Selected as the principal singing star with Colombia’s legendary Fundación Prolírica de Antioquia between 2019 and 2021, Sarmiento brought new excitement to classic works, starring in celebrated productions such as “La leyenda del beso” at Medellín’s famed Teatro Metropolitano and “La Corte del Faraón” at the historic Pablo Tobón Theater. Her masterful interpretation of John Rutter’s “Requiem” at Fundadores Auditorium in 2019 drew headlines for its elegance and emotive power, while regular collaborations with the celebrated Madriguera Teatro and revered choirs such as Coro de Cámara Cecilia Espinoza continually cemented her standing as a leading soloist.
Critics and audiences alike credit Sarmiento with breathing new life into the zarzuela tradition in her native country. “Lina single-handedly opened the doors for a new generation to experience zarzuela,” notes Andrés Carrión, artistic director at Fundación Prolírica. “She made the genre relevant—not just with her voice, but with her vision.” Sarmiento herself reflects on her mission: “I wanted Colombian audiences to rediscover the zarzuela in their own rhythms—mapalé, guavina, pasillo—woven with the unexpected turns of jazz improvisation. That was the turning point.”
From 2024, her star only continues to rise on the international stage. Her 2024 headline performance at the historic Pickman Concert Hall in Cambridge, MA, stunned audiences with dazzling vocal improvisations and a new take on zarzuela classics—a concert recognized as a watershed moment in cross-genre performance. As the featured lead singer for the annual United Nations International Day of Peace concerts at Boston’s Cathedral Church of Saint Paul, Sarmiento is now recognized as a unifying artistic voice for global harmony, joining a program supported by world leaders, acclaimed artists, and major cultural organizations.
This spring, Sarmiento’s critically acclaimed concert “Noches Líricas” at Harvard University captivated audiences with a bold reinterpretation of lyric art through Colombian and Spanish traditions.
Since 2025, her ongoing work with La Donna Musicale—Boston’s internationally recognized ensemble dedicated to uncovering and performing works by women composers—has made her a signature voice in their acclaimed programming. With national and international tours and praise from The Boston Music Intelligencer for their “passion and virtuosity,” La Donna Musicale’s commitment to historical and contemporary innovation is mirrored in Sarmiento’s own artistry. Her ability to infuse zarzuela and jazz with the vibrant textures of Colombian folklore has placed her work at the forefront of La Donna Musicale’s artistic vision. Sarmiento’s distinctive voice and creative direction have become central to the ensemble’s mission, shaping major performances and driving new explorations that highlight and expand the presence of women in the musical canon.
Her upcoming calendar is just as illustrious, confirming her as a force on the world’s most distinguished stages. In 2025 alone, Sarmiento will be the featured star of the famed Zarzuela Fest in Boston—the principal celebration of zarzuela in the US, supported by the city’s major arts institutions and the Boston Cultural Council—as well as the internationally esteemed Boston Early Music Festival, where her vocal fusion will illuminate centuries-old musical traditions.
Perhaps most anticipated of all is her 2025 soloist appearance at the Attack on Titan – Beyond the Walls World Tour: The Official Concert at Carnegie Hall, sharing the stage with an international cast and orchestra in front of a sold-out New York audience. “To appear at Carnegie Hall,” says Sarmiento, “especially as a Colombian zarzuela/jazz artist, is both humbling and thrilling. I hope to bring every song—and every tradition—alive as if it’s being sung for the very first time.”
For the global music community, Lina Sarmiento’s rise is not only a testament to her unique artistry but to the transformative power of cross-cultural collaboration —a reminder of how tradition, reinvention, and dazzling musicality can make history, night after night.
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