Born in Tolosa (Guipúzcoa), Ainhoa Arteta was the winner of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions in New York and the Concours International de Voix d’Opera Plácido Domingo in Paris.

Her operatic debut took place in 1990 in the United States. From hereon her career developed in an international direction at theatres like the Metropolitan Opera House in New York, Covent Garden in London, Bayerische Staatsoper in Munich, Amsterdam Opera, Bonn Opera, Teatro Bellas Artes in México, San Carlo in Naples, Washington Opera, San Francisco Opera, Arena in Verona, etc.

A milestone moment was reached in her career following performances alongside Michael Tilson Thomas and the New World Symphony as well as her debut at Carnegie Hall in New York, with Dolora Zajick and Plácido Domingo, who she performed with in concerts in Spain, the United States, Brazil, Lebanon, France, Turkey, England, Germany and Austria.

Her most acclaimed performances include her role in the opera “Faust” at the Bayrische Staatsoper in Munich and at the Münchner Opern-Festspiele alongside Rolando Villazón, directed by Friedrich Haider, the Teatro Cervantes in Malaga and the Palau de la Música in Valencia; “La Traviata” at the Metropolitan Opera, Detroit, Washington, Cincinnati, Amsterdam, Teatro de la Maestranza in Seville, Festival de Peralada, Graz (Austria) and the Teatro Perez Galdós in Canarias; “La Bohème” at the Metropolitan Opera, Teatro San Carlo in Naples, San Francisco, Auditorio Alfredo Kraus in Las Palmas, Teatro Villamarta in Jerez, Amsterdam Opera; Arena in Verona and Teatro Verdi in Trieste, directed by Daniel Oren; “Turandot” (Liú) during the Temporada de Opera in Bilbao (A.B.A.O.), “Romeo et Juliette” at the Teatro Campoamor in Oviedo and the Palacio Bellas Artes in Mexico also with Rolando Villazón, Teatro Pérez Galdós in Las Palmas and Teatro Cervantesde Malaga; “Les Pecheurs de perles” at the Seattle Opera, Burdeos, Riga Opera and Bilbao Opera; Fiordiligi (Cosi fan tutte) and “La Rondine” (Magda) at the Washington Ópera and Bonn Opera; “Carmen” (Micaela) with the Scottish Opera; “Fedora” (Olga) at the Metropolitan Opera, alongside Plácido Domingo and Mirella Freni and “Les Mamelles de Tirésias” in Poulenc at the Metropolitan with James Levine as conductor.

She recorded “Doña Francisquita” for Casa Sony, a Zarzuela album for R.T.V.E. music with the Orquesta de R.T.V.E, and another album of renaissance music for Helicon, "Ainhoa Arteta-Recital" for the Sello Ensayo, operas "Romeo et Juliette" (Juliette) and "Turandot" (Liú), live for R.T.V.E. Música and the Cantata “Herminie” with the Orquesta de Cadaqués directed by Sir Neville Marriner for Tritó.

Her extensive recitals include a concert in the White House, her debut at the Royal Opera Covent Garden in London and the Baalbeck concert (Lebanon), both performed with Plácido Domingo, the 70th anniversary Commemorative Concert for the Palacio Bellas Artes in Mexico with Ramón Vargas; her interpretation of the Arias Concierto by Mozart at Palau de la Música in Valencia with the Orquesta de Valencia directed by Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez,  “Vier letzte Lieder” by Richard Strauss with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife directed by Víctor Pablo Pérez, as well as her interpretation of “Herminie" by Arriaga at the Orquesta Sinfónica’s closing of Seaton in Bilbao and the Quincena Musical in San Sebastián, with the Orquesta de Cadaqués  directed by Sir Neville Marriner.

Over the last ten years, she has received numerous awards, such as the Hispanic Society of America award for her contribution to the Arts; an award for the “Mejor Artista de Música Clásica” in the 5th Edition of the Premios de la Música; an “ONDAS” award for the most outstanding effort in classical music; the “Federico Romero” award by the Fundación Autor for her internationally orientated career; Medalla de Oro from the Palau de la Música in Valencia; Presidenta de Honor for the “Maestro Segovia” association; Miembro del Patronato of the Fundación Winterthur; Academic at the Real Academia de Bellas Artes in Cadiz; Vasca Universal; Patron of the Fundació Orfeó Català-Palau de la Música; “Artista en Residencia” at the Orquesta de Cadaqués and Micrófono de Oro by the Federación de Asociaciones de Radio y Televisión de España, for her magnificent trajectory as a universal figure of Spanish lyricism.

Over recent seasons she has enjoyed great acclaim for her performances, which includes her debut performance in “Manon” by Massenet in Bilbao, the premiere of “Dulcinea” by Lorenzo Palomo at the Konzerthaus in Berlín; a tour with Sir Neville Marriner and the Orquesta de Cadaqués; her debut performance in Musikverein in Vienna with the pianist Roger Vignoles; a concert with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Galicia and Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez; the ninth Beethoven symphony with the Orquesta Sinfónica de Tenerife directed by Víctor Pablo Pérez, “La Bohème” at the Metropolitan in New York directed by Carlo Rizzi and her debut performance as Blanche in “Dialogues des Carmélites” in Bilbao. After opening the Temporada del Centenario at the Palau de la Música Catalana with pianist Roger Vignoles, she will take part in the Gala Lírica de Navidad with the tenor José Carreras in the same concert hall, and she will draw the year to a close with a tour of recitals alongside the pianist Malcolm Martineau.

Her most noteworthy recent performances and upcoming commitments include La Bohème at the Metropolitan, Genova, Liceo in Barcelona and Scala in Milan, Eugene Onegin in Corunna, Manon Lescaut in Las Palmas and Turandot again at Liceo. Concerts with the Orquesta Nacional de España, Sinfónica de Galicia, Sinfónica de Euskadi, Orquesta de Cadaqués, conducted by prestigious figures such as Sir Neville Marriner, Gianandrea Noseda, Víctor Pablo Pérez, Miguel Ángel Gómez Martínez and Vasily Petrenko.