# Montserrat Caballé 1933-2018 RIP



## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

For those here who don't yet know, the great Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé passed away yesterday at age 85.

Here is the BBC obituary.

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-45769808

A great, great singer who brought bel canto to new heights and had unsurpassed pianissimi.

Kind regards, :tiphat:

George


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

*Montserrat Caballé Sings the Finale of Roberto Devereux, Liceu 1968*

An amazing singing actress with nothing she couldn't do vocally, at the height of her powers.






Kind regards, :tiphat:

George


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

*Montserrat Caballé Sings the Famous "Preghiera" (Prayer) from Maria Stuarda 22-sec pp*

Incredible breath control as she sings a 22-second line pianissimo starting on G and ascending to B flat.






Kind regards, :tiphat:

George


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## DavidA (Dec 14, 2012)

A great singer!


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## Barelytenor (Nov 19, 2011)

*Montserrat Caballé Sings the Finale of Anna Bolena With Forte, Endless High C*

Mme. Caballé was not only about tender, high pianissimi. At her best, she could absolutely nail high notes as here. But this is a fantastic rendition for many reasons and shows off her astonishing technique.






Kind regards, :tiphat:

George


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

I'm not sure I'd agree that she took bel canto to _new _ heights. Callas, and later Sutherland, both of whom had better coloratura, should probably be credited with that, but she did have great success in the _bel canto_ repertoire, reviving several works that otherwise probably wouldn't have seen the light of day.

She also made superb recordings of Verdi's *Aida* and *Don Carlo*, and had appreciable successes in Puccini and the _verismo_, and also, perhaps surprisingly, in Strauss, making her Glyndebourne debut in the role of the Marschallin.

Her Norma from Orange, which is preserved on DVD, is the greatest I've come across after Callas, an artist she revered above all others. Callas, for her part, admired Caballé enormously, at one time giving her the jewellery she herself had once worn as Norma, perhaps as a symbolic gesture of passing on the mantle.


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## Granate (Jun 25, 2016)

I haven't explored the Italian Opera discography enough to compare the legacy of Caballé's voice, but her studio Aida, Elisabetta and Violetta are among my favourites. Pretty embarrased to watch every Spanish polititian on twitter showing the "Barcelona" performance with Freddie Mercury, and to put the cherry on the cake, the "greatest" was Freddie (I'm no fan of Queen sorry).

I have watched the news clip she did for the Public Television telling personally the story of the Liceu before it burned to ashes in 1994. She explained that the most important part of the building, the walls, have remained. The reconstruction would offer the same acoustics as before. Articles have praised her kindness and sense of humour and that she was famous inside and outside opera houses around the world.


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## Rogerx (Apr 27, 2018)

This set is _almost_ second to none.


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## RamonC (Jun 7, 2018)

I'm from Barcelona. Today, without a doubt, all of Catalonia is saddened by the loss of this great soprano.
As shown, you can see the twiter account of the "Gran Teatre del Liceo", the opera theater with which Montserrat Caballé was deeply involved throughout her life:

https://twitter.com/Liceu_cat


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## Tsaraslondon (Nov 7, 2013)

Granate said:


> Pretty embarrased to watch every Spanish polititian on twitter showing the "Barcelona" performance with Freddie Mercury, and to put the cherry on the cake, the "greatest" was Freddie (I'm no fan of Queen sorry).


Well we shouldn't really be surprised to find the popular press concentrating on the pop song _Barcelona_, just as Pavarotti's obit talked about the Three Tenors and the World Cup and no doubt Domingo's and Carreras's will too. After all it was a huge popular success and was used as the theme tune to the Barcelona Olympics, therefore bringing her to the attention of people who would otherwise have never heard of her. I also happen to think Freddie Mercury was "great" in his genre. He was a talented musician, a real performer and had a formidable voice. Indeed Caballé herself told him that he could easily have had a career in opera if he'd trained differently.


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## classfolkphile (Jun 25, 2017)

A great singer and a favorite of mine. RIP


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## Annied (Apr 27, 2017)

classfolkphile said:


> A great singer and a favorite of mine. RIP


Of mine too. No one could float a note the way she could.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)

My brother just told me, and by coincidence I was listening to her live, Met recording of LUISA MILLER this afternoon.

I'm too young to remember her singing career, but I do have many of her recordings, and she was a great singer.


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## Itullian (Aug 27, 2011)

Thank you for all the beautiful music Ms Caballe. :tiphat:
Rest in Peace :angel:


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

One of the the most unforgettable voices ever... Rest in peace Mme Caballé


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## Diminuendo (May 5, 2015)

Sad news. A really great singer. Rarely listen her recordings, but she had talent to spare. That Maria Stuarda breath control is really something. I being a fan of pianissimi really enjoyed her talent.


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## Rangstrom (Sep 24, 2010)

Spinning her recording of Don Carlo/Giulini today. She will be missed, but we are so lucky to have so much of her singing preserved for our future pleasure.


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## Bellinilover (Jul 24, 2013)




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## Seattleoperafan (Mar 24, 2013)

This is my Youtube mini lecture on her at my Toastmasters Club.


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