‘BEAUTIFUL VOICE WILL BE WITH US FOREVER’
Tributes as Caballe dies at 85
TRIBUTES have poured in to Montserrat Caballe, the opera singer who duetted on Barcelona with Freddie Mercury, who has died aged 85. The collaboration featured at the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, after the Queen frontman’s death.
Mercury and the Spanish soprano, who starred in 90 opera roles and has been hailed for “inspiring millions” with her voice, first released the anthem in 1987.
The star, who had been in hospital since September, was known for her bel canto technique.
The Royal Opera House said it was “saddened” to hear of the death of Caballe, who was born into a working class family in Barcelona and was singing Bach cantatas at the age of seven.
“The Spanish soprano sang with us on a number of occasions between 1972 and 1992 and inspired millions over the course of her career with her stunning voice,” it said in a statement on Twitter.
Queen guitarist Brian May paid tribute on Instagram, writing: “RIP dear Montsy – inspiration to us all, but especially to Freddie. Your beautiful voice will be with us forever.”
Tenor Jose Carreras told Catalunya Radio that the world of opera had lost its “best soprano”, saying: “Of all the sopranos that I have heard live, I have never heard anyone like Montserrat.”
Spanish prime minister Pedro Sanchez said: “A great ambassador of our country has died. Her voice and tenderness will remain with us forever.”
King Felipe VI tweeted that Caballe was “the great lady of opera, legend of universal culture, the best of the best” and that “her personality and unequalled voice will accompany us forever”.
Hospital Sant Pau spokesman Abraham del Moral confirmed Caballe’s death. The star was admitted to hospital because of a gall bladder problem, Spanish media said.
In her almost unlimited repertoire, she starred in 90 opera roles with nearly 4,000 stage performances.
At the age of eight, Caballe entered Liceo’s Conservatory in Barcelona with Eugenia Kenny, Conchita Badea and Napoleone Annovazzi among her first teachers.
She won the school’s Gold Medal on graduating in 1954, and went on to study opera in Milan and in 1956 joined the Basel Opera. She played her first major role that year in the city’s Staatstheater as Mimi in Puccini’s La Boheme.
Four years later, she was a principal singer with the Bremen Opera.
Following her brief excursion into pop music with Freddie Mercury, she sang on two tracks on an album by New Age composer Vangelis in 1997.