✨ Montserrat Caballe: “You don’t have to give up anything in life. Life is the best university in the world”

Date of birth of Maria de Montserrat Viviana Concepción Caballé y Folk ( full name singer) - April 12, 1933. Montserrat's father was a simple worker at a chemical fertilizer production plant, and his mother had no permanent job, and she was forced to work part-time for a pittance salary.

When little Montserrat went to school, the children immediately disliked her for her silent and secretive character; moreover, they laughed at her for always going to class in one modest dress. The Caballe family was already living on the brink of poverty, and now the father had to leave his job due to a serious illness. However, no everyday difficulties not only did not frighten Montserrat, but on the contrary, they strengthened her character. In order to somehow help the family, the girl went to work at a handkerchief factory.

Montserrat's acquaintance with opera occurred when she was only seven years old. The little girl was so amazed by what she heard and saw that she cried bitterly over the whole way back from the theater. fatal fate Madame Butterfly. Little Montserrat really liked the opera: while listening to an old gramophone record, she learned the aria main character, and, as a seven-year-old child, vowed that she would definitely become a rich and famous opera singer.

And, a few years later, fate smiled at Montserrat, introducing the Beltran Mata philanthropist spouses into her life, helping young talents. It was thanks to them that the girl ended up at the famous Barcelona conservatory Liceo, with the Hungarian teacher Eugenia Kemmeni, who turned a rare nugget into a priceless diamond. By the way, even now the great Montserrat Caballe begins her day with special breathing exercises, once developed by her teacher Kemmeni.

The path to the opera

Montserrat studied at the Philharmonic Dramatic Lyceum of Barcelona for 12 years and graduated with honors in 1954. Patrons Beltran Mata advised future singer start her career in Italy: they paid all travel expenses and supplied her letter of recommendation to the famous opera singer Raimundo Torres, who, in turn, recommended Montserrat to the director of the Florentine theater "Maggio Fiorentino" - Siciliani. After the audition, Siciliani accepted Caballe into his theater.

Her first performance at the Maggio Fiorentino Theater in Montserrat brought her another piece of luck in the person of the director of the Basel Opera, who came to the performance - he was so fascinated by the debutante’s voice that he offered her a contract for three years.

Montserrat accepted the offer and left for Switzerland. The date of the singer's professional debut is considered to be November 17, 1956, when she performed the role of Mimi in Giacomo Puccini's opera La bohème on the stage of the Basel Theater. The success was stunning!

When, in 1959, Caballe was already working at the Opera House in Bremen, she received an invitation to perform at her native Barcelona Lyceum. Montserrat happily agreed and captivated the audience with the role of Arabella Strauss.

The singer gained international fame in 1965, and quite unexpectedly. She was offered to perform in New York at Carnegie Hall instead of the ill American singer Marilyn Horne as Lucretia Borgia.

The American public, spoiled by the performances of real opera stars, listened to Montserrat's first aria with bated breath, after which it exploded with a 20-minute ovation. In the morning, the front pages of all newspapers were devoted to the incredible performance of the Spanish singer - this was the ticket to world recognition.

From that day on, Caballe's theatrical fate was sealed: all her performances on the most famous stages of the world's capitals took place with stunning success. Wherever she performed: in the Great Hall of Columns of the Kremlin, and in the White House in Washington, and in the New York Auditorium of the UN General Assembly, and in the Hall of the People in Beijing, and in many other famous places.

In 1974, Montserrat Caballe received the status of Honorary UN Ambassador and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador.

Life in Montserrat off stage

Being a true Catholic, the opera diva always put her family first. In 1964, she became the wife of Bernab Marti, who at that time was quite famous opera singer, and Montserrat has been happily married for decades now. The singer has two, now adult children - son Bernabe Marty and daughter Montserrat Marty, who also chose a career as an opera singer.

Montserrat Caballe is an excellent car driver and loves swimming and walking. Another long-time hobby of the singer, which grew into real passion, is painting. According to Montserrat herself, at first she painted in watercolors, then in pencil, and as she acquired skill, she even dared to paint in oils. And although the singer herself calls her works “ naive painting“Nevertheless, she wields a brush no worse than her magical voice.

The majestic Montserrat has learned to “get along” with her solid physique. Once she received a serious head injury in an accident, as a result of which the part of the brain responsible for normal metabolism in the body atrophied, therefore, no matter how little the singer ate, she could not lose weight. The same accident also strengthened Montserrat’s will: even being in a cast and on crutches, the singer continued to perform.

Caballe has a broad soul and is not indifferent to the grief of others - opera star quite often gives charity concerts on various “non-prestigious” stages. Despite world fame, the singer is convinced that the main thing is not the hall in which she performs, but the people for whom she sings.

Montserrat Caballe considers faith in God to be the basis of his work. This faith helps her to be above all behind-the-scenes passions and intrigues, to be wise and strong, and to serve people, giving them her magic voice and your talent.

Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé

She died in Barcelona at the age of 86. Opera singer Montserrat Caballe. Her roles in classical operas by Bellini, Donizetti and Rossini brought her fame. Experts considered her bel canto singing technique unique. She is also known to the general public for her duet with the leader Queen Freddie Mercury - they recorded the hit song Barselona, ​​which was supposed to be performed at the opening of the 1992 Olympics. ABOUT creative path singers - in the RBC photo gallery.

Montserrat Caballe was born in 1933 in Barcelona. In 1954 she graduated with honors from the Philharmonic Dramatic Lyceum of Barcelona. At the beginning of her career she worked in opera houses Basel and Bremen, performed in theaters in Lisbon, Milan and Barcelona

In 1965, she replaced the suddenly ill Marilyn Horne (pictured left) at New York's Carnegie Hall, performing the famously difficult main party in the opera Lucrezia Borgia by Gaetano Donizetti. The performance brought Caballe international recognition. The American mezzo-soprano called Caballe the next day with congratulations: “You sang and showed a Lucretia that I would never have sung!”

Montserrat Caballe on stage Bolshoi Theater

In 1974, Caballe performed with the La Scala troupe in Moscow, performing the role of Norma from Vincenzo Bellini's opera of the same name. Sharing impressions of his first performance in Russian capital, she said: “I never thought that the Bolshoi is such a wonderful theater, absolutely unique, there are no others like it in the world. The acoustics are perfect. You can sing very quietly, and you can be heard in the very last rows.” Since then, the singer has visited Russia several times

In 1987, the artist, together with Queen leader Freddie Mercury (pictured), recorded the song Barcelona, ​​which a year later was included in the duo’s album of the same name. “If I was crazy about the Beatles when I was young, then why shouldn’t I sing with Mercury now? ..” said Caballe. It was planned that the artists would perform the song at the opening Summer Olympics 1992 in Barcelona, ​​but the Queen singer died in November 1991, and the diva refused to perform the hit with anyone else

From left to right: Frank Sinatra, Diana Ross, Luciano Pavarotti and Montserrat Caballe

In 1992, the singer's health deteriorated and she was diagnosed with cancer. After undergoing therapy, Caballe managed to avoid surgery, but she had to leave the opera stage because doctors advised her to avoid stress. Nevertheless, the singer continued to give solo concerts, and in 2002 she returned to opera, performing in her native Barcelona on the 40th anniversary of her debut at the Liceu Theater

Montserrat Caballe and her daughter Montserrat Marti

In 1964, Caballe married Italian opera baritone Bernabe Marti. Together they sang in several operas until the singer’s husband left the stage. The couple had two children: a son, Bernabe, and a daughter, Montserrat, who also became an opera singer. They performed together with Caballe more than once

The singer was actively involved in charity work and has been a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador since 1994. In 2012 she was going to give a charity concert in Yekaterinburg, but the night before the performance she lost consciousness and fell. In one of the clinics in Yekaterinburg, she was diagnosed with a microstroke and a fracture of the humerus. She continued her treatment in Spain.

In 2013, Caballe visited Nagorno-Karabakh, a disputed territory that official Baku considers occupied by Armenia, before a concert in Yerevan. As a result, the singer is persona non grata in Azerbaijan

In September 2018, the media reported that the singer was undergoing treatment in a hospital in Barcelona. She died on October 6 at the age of 85. The funeral is scheduled for October 8

The world-famous opera singer Montserrat Caballe, who passed away at the age of 85, will be buried the day after tomorrow, Monday, in Barcelona. Farewell to her will take place today. This was reported by the EuropaPress agency.

The farewell ceremony will take place at the funeral ritual center of Les Corts. It will start at 14:00 local time (15:00 Moscow time).

Caballe will be buried next to his parents

Opera singer Montserrat Caballe will be buried in the Sant Andreu cemetery in Barcelona, ​​in the same place where her parents are buried.

The farewell ceremony for the singer began on Sunday at the Les Corts funeral rituals center. The Minister of Culture of Spain, Jose Guirao, and the leader of the Citizens party, Albert Rivera, have already come to say goodbye to the artist. former head Catalan general Jordi Pujol. Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez is expected to arrive in Barcelona on Monday. Consuls of a number of countries, including Belarus and Armenia, representatives football clubs Barcelona and Espanyol, management of the Liceo theater, where Caballe performed many times. In addition, the ceremony was attended by thousands of ordinary Catalans.

As the singer’s niece (also called Montserrat Caballe) said during the civil memorial service, for a long time was its representative and close friend, on Sunday and Monday, access to Les Corts will be open to everyone.

Causes of death

As you know, the opera diva spent several days before her death in a hospital in Barcelona. At the end of September, Montserrat Caballe was urgently hospitalized. The singer was diagnosed with problems with bladder.

Then the doctors treating the opera singer reported that the course of treatment had been completed and Montserrat would soon leave the clinic. From these words one could understand that the therapy was successful and Caballe was on the mend. However, an insidious disease broke out with new strength and left the singer no chance to fight for life.

It is worth noting that Montserrat had already undergone surgery to remove malignant tumor brain. The tumor appeared after a terrible accident in which the opera diva was involved. Cancer did not spare the singer and caused her to lose consciousness at one of Caballe’s concerts. In addition, the tumor led to dire consequences.

The receptors responsible for lipid metabolism were blocked in the brain. In this regard, the singer began to rapidly gain weight. She was operated on in Japan. After surgery, Montserrat learned to speak, walk and sing again.

Biography of Montserrat Caballe

Montserrat Caballe was born on April 12, 1933 in Barcelona poor family. She studied at the conservatory at the Barcelona Liceu Theater and graduated in 1954. She entered the Basel Opera in 1956, where her repertoire included the roles of Tosca, Aida, Arabella and Salome.

Between 1956 and 1965, Montserrat Caballe sang in opera houses in various European cities - Bremen, Milan, Vienna, Barcelona, ​​Lisbon, and also performed the role of Manon in Massenet's opera of the same name in Mexico City in 1964. International fame came to Caballe in 1965, when, due to Marilyn Horne's illness, she replaced American singer as Lucrezia Borgia in Gaetano Donizetti's opera of the same name (concert performance at Carnegie Hall). Caballe's triumph was so great that the audience gave the singer a 20-minute ovation. The New York Times headlined its review “Callas + Tebaldi = Caballe” and wrote:

“Miss Caballe had only to sing the first romance... and it became clear that she not only has a clear and beautiful voice, but also has excellent vocal skills... She can soar on pianissimo in the highest register, completely controlling every note, and at the highest volume her voice does not loses clarity and precision of the contour...”

The Herald Tribune also wrote:

In the same 1965, Caballe, at the personal invitation of Rudolf Bing, made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera (New York), where she performed the role of Margarita in Faust. After that, she performed on the stage of the Metropolitan Opera until 1988. Among the best roles performed on the stage of the famous theater: Louise in “Louise Miller”, Leonora in “Il Trovatore”, Violetta in “La Traviata”, Desdemona in “Othello”, Aida, Norma in the opera of the same name by Vincenzo Bellini.

On January 24, 1970 she made her debut at La Scala, also in the role of Lucrezia Borgia. In subsequent years, she performed Mary Stuart, Norma, Louise Miller, and Anne Boleyn at the La Scala Theater.

In the 1970s, she came to the USSR for the first time, met relatives here - members of her mother’s family, who in the 1930s during Civil War in Spain emigrated to the Soviet Union.

Since 1972 she has performed on the stage of Covent Garden in London (debut as Violetta in La Traviata).

Caballe's creative career lasted 50 years. She has performed all over the world with such masters opera stage, like Luciano Pavarotti and Placido Domingo, performing almost 90 roles and about 800 chamber works. The singer received international recognition thanks to the beauty of her voice and dramatic interpretation of roles. Her fans called her La Superba - “excellent”.

To the outstanding vocal achievements Caballe include:

• the role of Norma in the opera of the same name by Vincenzo Bellini - video recording from the ancient Roman theater in the city of Orange, made on July 20, 1974; also 3 performances of “Norms” as part of the tour of the La Scala theater in Moscow in the summer of 1974, where Caballe was a huge success (recording was made Central television THE USSR);
• the role of Imogene in Vincenzo Bellini’s opera “The Pirate” - a role from the repertoire of the bel canto era and, as Caballe herself admits, the most difficult in her repertoire in her entire career; recording from a broadcast from Florence from the Florentine Musical May festival (June 1967);
• the role of Queen Elizabeth in Gaetano Donizetti's opera Roberto Devereux - Caballe performed it repeatedly and in different periods your career; in particular, a recording was made from a broadcast from New York on December 16, 1965 (concert performance at Carnegie Hall);
• the role of Leonora in Il Trovatore by Giuseppe Verdi - recording broadcast from Florence in December 1968, conducted by Thomas Schippers; also a 1972 video from Orange, where Montserrat Caballe performed with Irina Arkhipova.

When the play was successfully shown in Paris, Maria Callas called Caballe two days after the premiere and congratulated her. In Italian (the singers usually spoke this language among themselves), Callas remarked: “The greatness of your service to both music and role.”

In 1964, she married Bernabe Marti. In 1966, a son, Bernabe, was born, and a daughter, Montserrat, in 1972.

The song "Barcelona", recorded five years before the 1992 Olympics, was planned to be presented to the public by Freddie Mercury and Montserrat Caballe, but in November 1991 the singer died, and the song was performed in the recording.

In November 2000, she participated in a charity concert-action of the World of Art Foundation, “Stars of the World for Children,” held in Moscow.

On June 4, 2013, during a visit to Armenia, Caballe visited the unrecognized Nagorno-Karabakh Republic. President Bako Sahakyan received the opera singer. Caballe's arrival in Karabakh caused discontent on the part of Azerbaijan, since its authorities consider the NKR as an occupied territory. In connection with Caballe's trip to the NKR, the Azerbaijani Embassy presented a note of protest to the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The note stated that Caballe would not receive an Azerbaijani visa, as he would become persona non grata. On June 7, Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan signed a decree awarding Caballe the Order of Honor.

On Saturday, October 6th the world opera art suffered a heavy loss - the great Montserrat Caballe died at the age of 86. Her biography, family, husband and children - everything was connected with art; there is not a person on Earth who would not hear her amazing singing and would not recognize the artist in the photograph.

According to journalists, the woman was admitted to a Barcelona clinic on September 19, complaining of bladder problems. It should be noted that health difficulties for the owner of a magnificent bel canto began in early youth. Once upon a time, Caballe was in a terrible accident and received a severe traumatic brain injury, as a result of which a certain part of the woman’s brain atrophied.

He was responsible for burning fat, and now Caballe began to gain weight even from a glass of water. But neither painful obesity nor deteriorating health forced the opera Diva to give up her favorite activity - she shone on stage until the very last day.

Biography facts

The real name of the artist is difficult for a completely uninitiated person to pronounce - Maria de Montserrat Viviana Concepcion Caballe y Folk. The girl was named after the sacred mountain located near the home of the future star.

Montserrat Caballe

In the most difficult moments, Montserrat worked part-time in a weaving factory, a haberdashery store and a sewing workshop. At school, her classmates teased her for her aloofness and outdated clothes. Meanwhile, the talented girl spent every centime she earned on additional classes in Italian and French.

Happy meeting

Beltran Mata, a local patron of new talents and a great lover, accidentally learned about the younger Caballe’s magnificent talent. classical music. It was he who paid for Maria’s further education at the famous Liceo Conservatory, from which the girl brilliantly graduated 4 years later.

Personal life

For a long time, in the biography of Montserrat Caballe there was no place for a family, husband, or children. Your first and only love the woman met at the age of 30, when she had long ago given up on her dream of finding a life partner. Quite unexpectedly for herself, the woman fell in love with the voice and only then with the man himself.

Montserrat Caballe and Bernabe Marty

Their relationship at first was far from the most romantic - the woman was irritated by the timidity of the man, who showed his temperament only on stage. She ended up provoking Marty and then reprimanded him for his indiscreet behavior. Gradually, he fell in love with this unpredictable and great woman so much that after his marriage he left the tour, devoting himself entirely to his family and children.

The beloved paid Bernabe in return, and soon the couple had 2 children:

Montserrat Caballe and daughter

Now daughter opera diva considered a worthy heir to her talent, she is in demand among the most prominent producers and organizers of performances.

Cause of death of the artist

IN Lately the singer often turned out to be a client various hospitals. Age affected heavy weight and a whole bunch of related diseases.

She died on October 6 in a hospital in Barcelona at the age of 86. This was reported by El Pais. According to the source,

the artist, whose exact cause of death has not yet been reported, had been in the clinic since mid-September due to problems with her gall bladder. It is noted that the funeral famous singer will take place on Monday, October 8. Farewell to Caballe will take place on Sunday.

The Prime Minister of Spain was one of the first to express his condolences over the death of the opera singer. According to him, the artist’s work will forever remain in the hearts of grateful listeners.

Photo report: Montserrat Caballe dies

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“Sad news. The great ambassador of our country, the internationally recognized Montserrat Caballe, has died. Her voice and tenderness will remain with us forever,” he tweeted.

The singer also commented on the tragic news.

« Great singer will forever remain in our hearts. I regret that I didn't know her. I always listened to her very first performance, from her youth, when she appeared on stage. Such voices appear once every hundred years,” Gverdtsiteli noted, admitting that Caballe’s departure came as a surprise to her.

In its turn artistic director And CEO Mariinsky Theater expressed the opinion that Caballe’s speeches, dating back to the 60s, 70s and 80s of the last century, set a very high bar, which not everyone was able to conquer.

“This is a golden page in the history of opera performance - in the late 60s, 70s, 80s of the twentieth century.

I think her performances then set the bar very high and she fit into a very small elite group of performers who, within the “Italian” repertoire, set the standard for excellence. And she recorded many parts in a very timely manner - cornerstone, famous, most important. And with the help of these records we will preserve her memory,”

Montserrat Caballe was born in the capital of Catalonia on April 12, 1933. After the end of World War II, she studied at the conservatory at Barcelona's Liceu Theater. In 1956 she joined the Basel Opera, where her repertoire included the roles of Tosca, Aida, Arabella and Salome. In those same years, Caballe began performing actively in opera houses in European cities, including Milan, Lisbon and Vienna, while in the mid-60s she amazed Mexican listeners with the role of Manon from Massenet's opera of the same name during a tour of America.

Around the same time, truly great fame came to Montserrat, and the Spaniard helped in this case: she was entrusted to replace the famous American opera singer (shortly before going on stage she felt unwell) in the role of Lucrezia Borgia in Gaetano Donizetti’s opera, and Caballe took advantage of the given chance.

The crowded hall of the legendary Carnegie Hall, where the concert took place, was so stunned by the European’s talent that they applauded her for about half an hour.

In 1965, she also made her debut at the Metropolitan Opera, performing the role of Margarita in Faust, while five years later she performed for the first time at the famous La Scala theater in Milan, where she had no less success.

For lovers popular music Caballe became widely known in the late 80s, when her album “Barcelona” was released together with Queen vocalist Freddie Mercury. The title song of that record became a summer anthem in 1992. Olympic Games, held in the capital of Catalonia.

The opera singer has repeatedly given concerts in Russia, where she first performed back in 1974, performing the role of Norma in the opera of the same name. Caballe's last concert in Moscow took place in June of this year as part of a tour dedicated to the artist's anniversary.

One of Caballe's students is considered to be people's artist Russia Baskov. The opera singer was one of the first to notice the performer’s talent and subsequently repeatedly emphasized that Nikolai would have a bright future. Being amazed by Baskov’s vocal abilities, the Spaniard also often performed with the Russian on the same stage.

In 2015, Caballe was sentenced by a Spanish court to six months in prison for fraud - the singer was accused of tax evasion. According to Spanish law, the prison sentence of Montserrat, who admitted her guilt and paid an impressive fine, was suspended, since it was the first time the performer had committed fraud of this kind.