Caballé, Montserrat

María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch or Folc (12 April 1933 – 6 October 2018), simply known as Montserrat Caballé (i Folch), was a Spanish (Catalan) operatic soprano. Widely considered to be one of the greatest sopranos of the 20th century, she won a variety of musical awards throughout her six-decade career, including three Grammy Awards. Caballé performed a wide variety of roles, but is best known as an exponent of the works of Verdi and of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. She was noticed internationally when she stepped in for a performance of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Carnegie Hall in 1965, and then appeared at leading opera houses. Her voice was described as pure but powerful, with superb control of vocal shadings and exquisite pianissimo. Caballé is also known for her 1987 duet with Freddie Mercury, "Barcelona", later used for the 1992 Olympic Games. The two had mutual admiration for each other and developed a close friendship.