The incomparable Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé has died at the age of 85 in a hospital in Barcelona. She was known to have had persistent health problems, and was admitted to hospital last month because of a gall bladder problem. Beloved for her remarkable pianissimi and unfailing vocal glamour, like Maria Callas and Joan Sutherland she was a famous exponent of the bel canto repertoire, helping to revive interest in works that had lain dormant on world stages and in recording studios for many years. The soprano was also highly regarded for her interpretations of the operas of Verdi, excelling as Violetta, Luisa Miller and Elisabetta in particular, as well as Puccini, where her vocal gifts made her uniquely suitable for the role of Liù.

Montserrat Caballé

Born in Barcelona on April 12, 1933, Caballé showed musical promise early on, treating her family to renditions of Bach cantatas from the age of seven. She was only nine years old when she was accepted into the city’s Conservatori Liceu, studying first the piano and then the voice as a teenager. At 20, she graduated from the Conservatori, having won its coveted gold medal for...