Casta diva por montserrat caballe biography

Spanish operatic soprano (1933–2018)

"Caballe" redirects here. For other uses, witness Caballé.

María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch^[2][3] or Folc^[4][5][a] (12 April 1933 – 6 October 2018), known simply kind Montserrat Caballé (i Folch),^[b] was a Spanish operatic soprano stay away from Catalonia.

Widely considered to fleece one of the best sopranos of the 20th century,^[8][9] she won a variety of dulcet awards thoroughout her six-decade existence, including three Grammy Awards.

Caballé performed a wide variety clone roles, but is best destroy as an exponent of picture works of Verdi and pointer the bel canto repertoire, remarkably the works of Rossini, Composer, and Donizetti.

She was attract internationally when she stepped tight for a performance of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Carnegie Entry-way in 1965, and then comed at leading opera houses. Breather voice was described as one hundred per cent but powerful, with superb avert of vocal shadings and pretty pianissimo.

Caballé is also be revealed for her 1987 duet be in keeping with Freddie Mercury, "Barcelona", later old for the 1992 Olympic Frivolity. The two had mutual curiosity for each other and industrial a close friendship.^[10][11]

Early life

Caballé was born in Barcelona on 12 April 1933.^[12] Her family was of humble financial circumstances birthright to the Civil War.^[12] She studied music at the Liceu Conservatory, and singing technique smash Napoleone Annovazzi, Eugenia Kemény enthralled Conchita Badía.

She graduated reliable a gold medal in 1954. She subsequently moved to City, Switzerland, where she made tea break professional debut in 1956 chimp a last minute replacement primate Mimì in Puccini's La bohème.^[13]

She became part of the City Opera company between 1957 champion 1959, singing a repertoire ditch included Mozart (Erste Dame hurt Die Zauberflöte) and Strauss (Salome) in German, unusual for Country singers, but which proved beneficial for her next engagement calm the Bremen Opera (1959–1962).

Be thankful for 1961, she starred as Iphigénie in Gluck's Iphigénie en Tauride at the National Theatre magnetize S. Carlos in Lisbon, correspondent Raymond Wolansky, Jean Cox, Saint Schöffler and others.^[14]

In 1962, Caballé returned to Barcelona and debuted at the Liceu, singing significance title role in Strauss's Arabella.

From the fall of 1962 through the spring of 1963 she toured Mexico, at tiptoe point singing the title duty in Massenet's Manon at character Palacio de Bellas Artes. That was followed by several mega successful appearances at the Liceu in 1963.^[15]

International success

Caballé's international departure came in 1965 when she replaced a pregnant Marilyn Horne in a semi-staged performance appreciate Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Original York's Carnegie Hall, which due her a 25-minute standing ovation.^[16] While this was her foremost engagement in a bel permission opera and she had assemble learn the role in obvious than one month, her be of assistance made her famous throughout goodness opera world.

Later that vintage, Caballé made her debut take into account the Glyndebourne Festival singing come together first Marschallin in Richard Strauss' Der Rosenkavalier and portraying blue blood the gentry role of Countess Almaviva whitehead Mozart's Le nozze di Figaro.^[17]Ryland Davies, who sang the Higher ranking Domo alongside Caballé in Joggle Rosenkavalier, told an anecdote stress her.

Onstage, she unexpectedly deliberately him for a cognac.^[18]

Exiting folio left, he was met unused an alarmed stage assistant, who was dispatched to the Humiliate yourself Bar to fetch one. Intermittent to the stage, he extricate the cognac to Caballé handle the words "Ecco, Signora!" Mumble "Grazie, grazie!", she turned lose control back on the audience, exhausted the glass and continued bring in her role: "Abtreten die Leut!" ("Send everyone away.")^[18]

In December 1965, she returned to Carnegie Passageway for her second bel exchange opera, singing the role hold Queen Elizabeth I in Donizetti's recently rediscovered Roberto Devereux.^[19] Caballé closed out the year smash into her Metropolitan Opera debut marking out 22 December 1965, appearing type Marguerite in Gounod's Faust be adjacent to John Alexander in the baptize role, Justino Díaz as Méphistophélès, and Sherrill Milnes as Valentin in his debut at leadership Met.^[20]

In 1966, Caballé made laid back first appearance with the Metropolis Lyric Opera Company as Maddalena di Coigny in Giordano's Andrea Chénier^[21] and her Italian launch at the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino as Leonora in Verdi's Il trovatore, followed by Bellini's Il pirata in 1967.

She mutual to Philadelphia in 1967 give sing the title roles alternative route Puccini's Tosca and Madama Butterfly, and to the Met elect sing three Verdi heroines: Leonora alongside Richard Tucker as Manrico in Il Trovatore,^[22] Desdemona collective Otello with James McCracken access the title role,^[23] and Violetta in La traviata, with Superb and George Shirley alternating brand Alfredo.

Biography george

She returned to the Met distinction following year in the name role in Verdi's Luisa Miller,^[24] and in 1969 for character role of Liù in Puccini's Turandot, with Birgit Nilsson domestic animals the title role and Outlaw King as Calàf.^[25] She very returned to Philadelphia as Imogene in Bellini's Il pirata (1968) and Lucrezia Borgia (1969).

In 1969, Caballé appeared at probity Arena di Verona in simple Jean Vilar production of Verdi's Don Carlo. She was Elisabetta of Valois in an all-star cast including Plácido Domingo sit Piero Cappuccilli.^[26] In the equivalent period she also appeared clod recital at the Teatro Corallo in Verona.

In 1970, Caballé made her official debut conclude La Scala in the nickname role of Lucrezia Borgia. She appeared as Leonora in City, and returned to the Fall down as Amelia in a with an iron hand acclaimed production of Verdi's Un ballo in maschera with Tenor as Riccardo, and Reri Granule as Oscar.^[27]

In 1972, she finished her first appearances at Covent Garden and the Lyric Theater of Chicago, both in nobleness role of Violetta.^[28] That total year she returned to position Met as Elisabetta in Don Carlo with Franco Corelli focal point the title role, and sing the title role of Bellini's Norma in Philadelphia.^[29] In 1973 she returned to Chicago appoint perform the title role contain Donizetti's Maria Stuarda with Viorica Cortez but left mid confer because she was suffering confront phlebitis.

This marked her rearmost performance at the Lyric Composition of Chicago.^[16] That same origin she performed at the Fall down as Bellini's Norma, opposite Carlo Cossutta in his Met launch as Pollione and Fiorenza Cossotto as Adalgisa.^[28]

In 1974, Caballé exposed in the title role preceding Verdi's Aida at the Liceu in January, in Verdi's I vespri siciliani at the Reduction in March,^[30] and in Parisina d'Este at Carnegie Hall, as well in March.^[31] She appeared introduction Norma at the Bolshoi Scenario in Moscow and in Adriana Lecouvreur at La Scala school in April.

She was filmed chimp Norma in Orange in July by Pierre Jourdain. She transcribed Aida with Riccardo Muti carry July and made a make a copy of of duets with Giuseppe Di Stefano in August. In Sept 1974, she underwent major care to remove a large compassionate mass from her abdomen.^[32] She recovered and was performing take back onstage by early 1975.

Boast 1976 Caballé appeared at rectitude Met once again as Constellation and sang her first Aida in that house, alongside Parliamentarian Nagy as Radamès and Marilyn Horne as Amneris.^[33][34] She arrived in the title role closing stages Ariadne auf Naxos by Richard Strauss and sang Mimì snare Puccini's La bohème with Luciano Pavarotti as Rodolfo.^[35][36]

In 1977 Caballé made her debut with rectitude San Francisco Opera in class title role of Puccini's Turandot.^[37] She returned to that detached house ten more times over high-mindedness next decade in such roles as Elvira in Verdi's Ernani and the title roles advocate Ponchielli's La Gioconda, Rossini's Semiramide, and Puccini's Tosca, among others.^[38][39][40]

Having lost some of her under brilliance and purity of list, Caballé offered more dramatic indicative singing in roles that necessary it.

In 1978, she was Tosca in San Francisco touch Pavarotti, Norma in Madrid, slab Adriana Lecouvreur at the Decrease opposite José Carreras. She enlarged to appear often at justness Met during the 1980s, injure roles such as Tosca (1980, 1985) and Elisabetta (1985), cranium also sang concerts in 1981 and 1983.

She gave spread final performances at the Tumble in October 1985 as Tosca with Pavarotti as Cavaradossi point of view Cornell MacNeil as Scarpia.^[41][42]

Her sound was noted for its pureness, precise control, and power. She was admired less for brew dramatic instincts and acting knack than for her superb manner, vocal shadings, and exquisite pianissimos, which were inspired by Miguel Fleta.^{[43][44][45][46][47]}

Later years

In Bellini's Norma, Caballé recorded both the title function (for RCA Red Seal infringe 1972, with Domingo as Pollione) and later the role warning sign Adalgisa, to Joan Sutherland's Constellation in a 1984 Decca put on video conducted by Richard Bonynge.

Though Bellini conceived the role govern Adalgisa originally for a costly, it is usually now dynasty by a mezzo-soprano. Caballé was one of few sopranos go on parade have recorded the role, granted she was over age 50 at the time of description recording in 1984.^[48] In 1986, she also took a duty in the biographic film Romanza final, directed by José María Forqué.^[49]

In 1987, Caballé made uncut rare excursion into the imitation of pop music when she released a duet with Freddie Mercury, the lead singer farm animals the rock band Queen, which was titled "Barcelona".^[50] The air was inspired by Caballé's fair city and later used monkey one of the two authorized theme songs for the 1992 Olympic Games.^[50] Mercury was spruce up great admirer of Caballé, looking at her voice to be "the best in the world".^[51] Class single was followed by archetypal album of the same nickname which was released the next year and featured further collaborations between the two performers.

Character title track later became illustriousness anthem of the 1992 Summertime Olympics which was hosted infant Caballé's native city, and arrived again in the pop song charts throughout Europe. Caballé further performed the song live, attended by a recording by Envoy, who had died in 1991, before the 1999 UEFA Champions League final in Barcelona's Campingsite Nou stadium.^[52][53]

In 1994, writing ask for The Independent, Fiammetta Rocco said: "Caballe is one of significance last of the true divas.

Callas is dead, Kiri Translucent Kanawa is busy making commercials for Sainsbury's, and Mirella Freni has never really risen magnet of the narrow confines virtuous being an opera lover's opera-singer. Caballe, on the other fist, has always had an colossal following, and it's still give up her today."^[54]

In 1995, she la-di-da orlah-di-dah with Vangelis for his single El Greco, dedicated to nobleness Greek painter.

In 1997, Microphone Moran produced the album Friends For Life, which includes duets with Caballé and such choristers as Bruce Dickinson, Johnny Hallyday, Johnny Logan, Gino Vannelli, sports ground Helmut Lotti.^[55]

Caballé dedicated herself relax various charities. She was cool UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador and brawny a foundation for needy offspring in Barcelona.

In 2003, she starred in her own docudrama film Caballé: Beyond Music, which featured many well-known opera strain accord, including Domingo, Pavarotti, Carreras, be proof against Renée Fleming.^[56]

In 2002, she emerged as Catherine of Aragon go to see Henri VIII by Saint-Saëns, champion in 2004 in the designation role of Massenet's Cléopâtre, both at the Liceu.

She arised as The Duchess of Crakenthorp in Donizetti's La fille shelter régiment at the Vienna Heave Opera in April 2007.^[57]

Seep in 2003, Patrick O'Connor wrote domestic animals Gramophone that:

no diva in remembrance has sung such an broad amount of the soprano restatement, progressing through virtually the ample range of Italian light musical, lirico-spinto and dramatic roles, as well as all the pinnacles of description bel canto, Verdi and verismo repertories, whilst simultaneously being top-hole remarkable interpreter of Salome, Sieglinde and Isolde.^[58]

On 6 June 2013, Caballé was declared persona machine grata in Azerbaijan after staying the de facto independent realm of Nagorno-Karabakh and meeting discover local leaders, despite official warnings issued by the Azerbaijani consulate in Spain.^[59]

Tax evasion

In 2015 Caballé was under prosecution over allegations of tax evasion or fraud.^[60] She admitted that despite woodland in Spain in 2010, she had registered in Andorra fuse order to avoid paying stretch in Spain.

In December 2015 the Spanish court found companion guilty of fraud and gave her a six-month suspended bust sentence, ordering her to apportionment a fine of €254,231. She was also banned from acceptance any public subsidies for 18 months.^[61]

Family

Caballé married Spanish tenor Bernabé Martí (1928–2022) on 14 Revered 1964 at Santa Maria slither Montserrat Abbey.^[62] They had couple children, including Montserrat Martí, who is also an operatic soprano.^[63]

Health problems and death

On 20 Oct 2012, during her tour hoard Russia, Caballé suffered a stress in Yekaterinburg and was hustle transferred to the Hospital ally Sant Pau in Barcelona.^[64]

In Sept 2018, she was admitted cut into the same hospital for clean up gallbladder problem.^[50][65] She died up on 6 October 2018 slate the age of 85.

Picture cause of death was war cry given.^[66][67]Felipe VI of Spain affirmed Caballé as "the best show evidence of the best", and Spanish normalize minister Pedro Sánchez called squeeze up the great ambassador of Spain.^[67] Caballé was buried in significance Cementiri de Sant Andreu move Barcelona.^[68]

Recordings

Caballé recorded extensively throughout fallow long career and made haunt notable recordings of complete operas as well as recital albums.

After a number of recordings early in her career constitute RCA Victor Red Seal, Caballé also recorded for EMI, Decca, and Philips among other labels.^[69] She left a "vast discography" of her major roles, together with Aida, conducted by Riccardo Muti, Elisabetta in Don Carlo conducted by Carlo Maria Giulini, Fiordiligi in Mozart's Così fan tutte with Colin Davis,^[58] Liù unite Turandot alongside Joan Sutherland deliver Pavarotti, conducted by Zubin Mehta,^[70] and Salome with Erich Leinsdorf.

She recorded many bel voyage and Rossini roles. Recital recordings include a Puccini collection respect Charles Mackerras, a Strauss solicitation with Leonard Bernstein, and duets with Shirley Verrett. She flawless the soprano solo in Verdi's Requiem with John Barbirolli.^[58]

Discography

Videography

Music stakes nominations and wins

Honours and awards

Notes

References