Montserrat Caballe dies

[sydneyboy]

The death has been announced of Montserrat Caballe aged 85. This singers versatility was staggering. Apart from the bel canto repertoire she cut a swathe through the major works of Verdi, Puccini, the French repertoire (including some rarities) as well as Wagner (including Isolde) and Richard Strauss. I recall of a review of her performance of “Salome” (I think at La Scala) although the Dance of the 7 Viels was for obvious reasons a rather tepid affair.

Her propensity for cancelling performances was legendary although in fairness this was due to ill health including I believe a brain tumour rather than Pavarotti like capriciousness. A great artist. RIP Montserrat.

Edited October 6, 2018 by sydneyboy

[+ Charlie]

I didn't realize she was that old. The first time I saw her was in Il Pirata in Philadelphia about 1965, before she made her Met debut. She held the high note at the end of one scene for so long that she apparently fainted, and they had to hold the curtain longer than scheduled before she could continue. I saw her several times after that, but she did cancel often. The last time I saw her was at Carnegie Hall, at a birthday tribute for Marilyn Horne about 30 years later, and the voice had hardly changed.

[marylander1940]

 

Memory lane:

 

[+ WilliamM]

I never saw her in person, but like her singing in many operas available on CDs.

 

In addition to cancelling, her strongest gift was not always acting (based on her performances on DVD).

 

Still, I was shocked when learning Ms. Caballero had passed away. Sad as well!

[sydneyboy]

I never saw her in person, but like her singing in many operas available on CDs.

 

In addition to cancelling, her strongest gift was not always acting (based on her performances on DVD).

 

Still, I was shocked when learning Ms. Caballero had passed away. Sad as well!

I recall reading a review in “Opera”magazine of a performance of “Tosca” at the Met with Caballe and Pavarotti. In the second act “torture “ scene they were at opposite ends of the huge Met stage standing there like stuffed dummies belting out the music with characteristic beauty but hardly looking at one another and refusing point blank to act.

[+ WilliamM]

I recall reading a review in “Opera”magazine of a performance of “Tosca” at the Met with Caballe and Pavarotti. In the second act “torture “ scene they were at opposite ends of the huge Met stage standing there like stuffed dummies belting out the music with characteristic beauty but hardly looking at one another and refusing point blank to act.

 

I remember reading a review of that performance in the New York Times.

 

Just as negative, in fact worse.

[+ g56whiz]

I recall reading a review in “Opera”magazine of a performance of “Tosca” at the Met with Caballe and Pavarotti. In the second act “torture “ scene they were at opposite ends of the huge Met stage standing there like stuffed dummies belting out the music with characteristic beauty but hardly looking at one another and refusing point blank to act.

Her’s was a Tosca that merely walked off stage at the Met rather than jumping from the parapet screaming “Avanti a Dio” but the singing was glorious.

 

I also saw her Adriana Lecouvreur at the Met. Again the singing was glorious but she moved with the grace of a tank and the only expression her corpulent face could convey was surprise when her eyebrows rose.

 

The willing suspension of disbelief was hard to achieve but that voice . . . ! I wish I had seen her in recital.

 

She was married to the tenor Barnabe Marti who sang infrequently at City Opera across the plaza. A friend of mine swears that he sat behind her in the orchestra at City Opera for one his performances. My friend also swears that he watched in amazement as she consumed an entire rotisserie chicken from the bag in her lap. Ah Divas!

 

The NYTimes obit compared her to her contemporaries Sutherland and Callas. It made me wonder what a Three Sopranos program would have been like. [sigh]

Edited October 6, 2018 by g56whiz

[sydneyboy]

The conductor at the Met performance I was referring to was Carlo Felice Cillario. The “Opera” reviewer said he let the singers get away with “murder”. Cillario had a very long association with Opera Australia dating from the 1960’s until near his death. He was musical director but his international commitments meant he had to relinquish this role but he returned to conduct every year. He was much loved by Australian audiences.

[TruHart1]

I still vividly recall a "Live From Lincoln Center" telecast on PBS with Zuben Mehta conducting the NY Philharmonic in the Verdi Requiem with an operatic dream cast of Paul Plishka, bass; Placido Domingo, tenor; Bianca Berini, mezzo and Montserrat Caballé, soprano!

 

In the Youtube upload of the telecast here, at Caballé's first vocal entrance in the Offertorio of the Requiem, she does the seemingly impossible by taking what most singers sing as three phrases in only one long phrase! Watching the telecast live back in 1980, I was absolutely amazed at her unbelievable breath control! Yes her facial expressions ran the gamut from A to slightly more A, but the voice was just SO phenomenal!!! Go to the 47:57 mark on the video to hear this impressive moment of remarkable breath control:

 

 

Another unbelievable breath control feat I recall was in a number of her MET broadcasts of Elisabetta in Don Carlo I listened to. At the very end of the opera, she sustains her final note all the way through almost the very end of the opera:

 

(from the Saturday afternoon broadcast of April 22, 1972 with Franco Corelli, tenor and Cesare Siepi, bass and Paul Plishka, bass)

 

I'm sure Verdi would have rolled over in his grave but it was always a thrill to hear!

 

A truly GREAT singer who seemed able to sing everything and anything well, from bel canto to verismo to Wagner, that she decided to sing! RIP, Madame Caballé.

 

TruHart1

[+ g56whiz]

I still vividly recall a "Live From Lincoln Center" telecast on PBS with Zuben Mehta conducting the NY Philharmonic in the Verdi Requiem with an operatic dream cast of Paul Plishka, bass; Placido Domingo, tenor; Bianca Berini, mezzo and Montserrat Caballé, soprano!

 

In the Youtube upload of the telecast here, at Caballé's first vocal entrance in the Offertorio of the Requiem, she does the seemingly impossible by taking what most singers sing as three phrases in only one long phrase! Watching the telecast live back in 1980, I was absolutely amazed at her unbelievable breath control! Yes her facial expressions ran the gamut from A to slightly more A, but the voice was just SO phenomenal!!! Go to the 47:57 mark on the video to hear this impressive moment of remarkable breath control:

 

 

Another unbelievable breath control feat I recall was in a number of her MET broadcasts of Elisabetta in Don Carlo I listened to. At the very end of the opera, she sustains her final note all the way through almost the very end of the opera:

 

(from the Saturday afternoon broadcast of April 22, 1972 with Franco Corelli, tenor and Cesare Siepi, bass and Paul Plishka, bass)

 

I'm sure Verdi would have rolled over in his grave but it was always a thrill to hear!

 

A truly GREAT singer who seemed able to sing everything and anything well, from bel canto to verismo to Wagner, that she decided to sing! RIP, Madame Caballé.

 

TruHart1

That prowess in technique is perhaps easily explained. According to her NYTimes Obit, her first voice teacher didn’t allow her to do anything more than vocal exercises for her entire first year of study. Can you imagine a voice teacher enforcing such decipline now a days?

[TruHart1]

That prowess in technique is perhaps easily explained. According to her NYTimes Obit, her first voice teacher didn’t allow her to do anything more than vocal exercises for her entire first year of study. Can you imagine a voice teacher enforcing such decipline now a days?

Here is the NY Times obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/obituaries/montserrat-caballe-dead.html

 

TruHart1

[Bargara Leatherboy]

Most memorable to me is her duets with Freddy

[+ g56whiz]

Here is the NY Times obituary: https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/06/obituaries/montserrat-caballe-dead.html

 

TruHart1

That pic was photoshopped or she had surgery. She had a very prominent birthmark high on one of her cheeks. When it moved up or down was the other sign she was acting.

 

Ps. Thanks @TruHart1 for posting. I’m never sure how to do that especially using this iPhone.

[TruHart1]

That pic was photoshopped or she had surgery. She had a very prominent birthmark high on one of her cheeks. When it moved up or down was the other sign she was acting.

 

Ps. Thanks @TruHart1 for posting. I’m never sure how to do that especially using this iPhone.

I specifically recall a conversation among friends as we were watching the MET Centennial Gala in 1983 about how so many of the great voiced singers at the time (who also happened to be quite overweight!) such as Pavarotti and Caballé, had facial protuberances that made them even more unattractive in close-up!

 

http://parterre.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/caballe.jpg

 

That was a glorious telecast, though and I still watch parts of it on my old Betamax. Yes, I still have a fully functioning Sony Betamax VTR!!!

 

TruHart1

Edited October 7, 2018 by TruHart1

[TruHart1]

Most memorable to me is her duets with Freddy

Here's the original video from 1987 of the first song released from that:

 

The text in this Youtube video upload reads:

"Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé - Barcelona (Original David Mallet Video 1987)

 

This wonderful 1987 video, capturing Freddie Mercury's unforgettable collaboration with Spanish opera diva Montserrat Caballé, accompanied the very first single from the 'Barcelona' album (which was to follow a full year later). This unexpected and unlikely merging of talent took the world by storm, and this was the first of three singles released from the album. The Director was David Mallet and it was filmed at Pinewood Studios in London. The single was released in the UK on 26th October 1987."

 

TruHart1

Edited October 7, 2018 by TruHart1