Montserrat Caballé Floats a 21-sec-long Divine Pianissimo above All

[@KJMooreMusic]

While kneeling. Meaning part of her diaphragm is impinged. WTF. That’s an insane amount of power and control. 👏👏👏

[@salumbre365]

Yep. A true monster --in the best possible sense of the word.

[@e.conboy4286]

She was magnificent!

[@nightmind919]

Angels gathered when Montserrat sang. A Spanish Queen in her own right. 🇪🇸

[@francescbartroli7485]

catalan queen.

[@davidcampelo]

CATALAN QUEEN. 👑😉❤️

[@Glm14_18]

Disregarding the geographic fact that “Catalan” is perfectly compatible with “Spanish”, the truth is that Caballé considered herself 100% Spanish, so it’s pretty fair to say “Spanish” queen ;)

[@jermainespence6553]

Really about 17 seconds but still spectacular

[@ericholck3914]

For anyone wondering where the sustained note comes in, it's at 2:50 (but really, why not listen to the entire piece - it's glorious).

[@Dr__Feelgood]

Thank you. That was mighty difficult & simply impressive.

[@e.conboy4286]

: Practice! Practice! Practice!

[@esuna6352]

Caballe is untouchable when it comes to pianissimos.

[@Rodrigo-rx3nf]

exact! la più brava

[@Amahl1971]

Pianissimi.

[@e.conboy4286]

Theo N :Right you are! I love her smile, very modest!

[@tansuerkan]

Try Leyla Gencer

[@enthusedtosing9655]

Rodrigo Caballé is untouchable when it comes to Maria Stuarda, frankly

[@danrda]

May she find peace now, what a wonderful gift she was to this world!! La Superba will forever live through her music! ♥

[@eliomarnascimento2997]

Amen! Beautifully put! Bravo!

[@alvinware1988]

La Superba , how fitting.

[@jeanvermeersch2590]

She is the best ever. She is touching our heart. Montserrat is the best soprano of the century. Love here so much!!

[@Flyghumlan9]

She is the loveliest of them all. Always touching heart, not just the ears.

[@LohengrinO]

she is the Balm of the Soul... caresses the soul and heals it up.. a Gift from God she was

[@arnoldamaral3814]

😥😥😥

[@VocalEdgeTV]

Yes! Even as a child, I was completely enthralled with her. I didn’t even know why I thought young age. She not only sings the beautiful melody, she was the melody. That makes all the difference.

[@ESilva-gw9ig]

This is one of my favorite videos on KZbin. Absolutely stunning. Very few sopranos are capable of singing this amazing aria as it was written, with that long breath, but Caballe does it with such beautiful tone and amazing legato line. True bel canto. And notice how she includes the chorus during the applause. Unsurpassed.

[@opera1dan2]

E. Silva a class act

[@arnoldamaral7406]

E. Silva Such a giving true artist our MONSE 👑 Arnold Bourbon Amaral

[@e.conboy4286]

E. Silva Indeed! Thankful for recordings and video!

[@tonycanney1531]

What a voice! Eternal Caballe will always last forever. This is one of my favorite videos and prayer aria.

[@debbiejohnson2789]

She always thought of the other people around her. She was an Angel on earth!

[@katbullar]

The crescendo in the end of the long note is surreal...

[@ErnestoNunez-bp6eb]

It is something admirable and unrepeatable

[@rao633]

Check some of her early performances of Signore ascolta. Exactly the same approach. Absolutely overwhelming. But after 1973-1974 it was too hard for her to keep 15 seconds of pianissimo and the crescendo with fortissimo up to depressurizing the chest. No soprano did that with Signore ascolta.

[@jorgealbertolettera4027]

Cuando Dios creó en mundo, ya pensó en la voz de la Caballé. La belleza y la dulzura de esa voz difícilmente se repita.

[@dircesantana5408]

Fabulosa... Tudo que canta encanta, eleva a alma... Eterna!

[@SymphonyBrahms]

Her breath control was fantastic. And such a lovely voice. There is no one like her today.

[@GerhardBarwald]

Good here to see mentioned the breath control. Its nothing to have to be underestimated !

[@franzitaduz]

Kneeling no less. What a gift to our century.

[@tempsperdu9278]

Those pianissimi always kept me breathless for almost as long as she was able to hold them. What a silky voice, and what a grande dame she was !

[@hectorcastaneda4644]

conte hoffman oiseau

[@Convert96]

2:50. Wow!

[@rene-parizh]

Yeah, she's wonderful!

[@laj2240]

God give her heavenly joy, since she has brought so much beauty and joy to our lives. Such voices and such singing save lives, restore hope and rekindle confidence in human capabilities! How can we ever thank you, Montserrat?!❤🙏🏻

[@MadKingOfMadaya]

*_3:58_**_ This was pure divinity from Caballé. That melody was perfectly executed. My God..._*

[@justinemacalam5415]

It's truly a wonderful performance, sustaining that pianissimo is hard, but for our queen it's nothing but a piece of cake,, brava 👏🏻👏🏻

[@annaattanasio9263]

È stata fantastica la Caballé non la dimenticherò mai x sempre ascolterò la sua voce❤❤❤

[@Nogah100]

What a pure voice, and what dignity!!

[@charleslayton9463]

Someone else below has commented on it, but what is especially astounding is that she was kneeling! If you don't know, much of our balance comes from our diaphragm, especially when we aren't planted firmly on our feet. Wonderful!

[@TVHouseHistorian]

I was just thinking the same thing. To have that much control while kneeling must have required a lot of focus.

[@KoriEmerson]

That was the first thing I thought of .

[@jimpemberton]

I have a hard enough time getting up and down on my knees. Not only having the diaphragm for singing that well in that position, but she gets up and down quite gracefully.

[@nanzadon3550]

@@TVHouseHistorian no

[@ynotnilknarf39]

RIP to a wonderful lady who entertained millions over 50 years!

[@laj2240]

She did even more, she just blessed us all!

[@deanhandley3334]

WOW JUST WOW!!! I'm no opera buff, but that was out of this world.

[@daphnewilson7966]

I was privileged to hear her a couple of times in San Francisco.Callas was before my time, but I heard Caballe. Amazing memories!

[@debbiejohnson2789]

I'm so happy for you, Ms. Daphne that you got to see the great Caballe'! Congratulations. What great memories you must have!

[@tamarakennedy4976]

I am weeping God bless Monserrate and God blessed us to witness the closest thing to God Himself with the voice of this angel...I am eternally grateful to have experienced the rare pure beauty of this most gifted talented woman's vocal abilities...unparralelled, perfection!⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘⚘😙

[@LohengrinO]

she was indeed Divine

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Lohengrin O Theo, It gives me great Joy every time I hear this. A friend was just sent me a u tube piece, pop singer sustain 32 second last yelled out note. So I sent him this. He was truly impressed. TY again Arnold Bourbon Amaral

[@debbiejohnson2789]

That is such a lovely comment and a joy to read! Thank you and so true!

[@liguten]

Nous ne te remercierons jamais assez pour tant de beauté et de bonheur!! repose en paix, tu es dans nos coeurs.

[@emiliosalman6740]

She is Beyond the Beyond….can’t add any more. La Superba. Brava

[@nathaliebonargent8048]

RIP Montserrat ... you are always in our heart... thanks for all you have done to us !

[@vale86301]

Meravigliosa voce ,meravigliosa e basta !! Io ,la adoro ❤

[@marcvolpe8252]

LELA YOU ARE SO BEAUTIFUL ADORABLE SEDUCTIVE RAVISHING SEXY CAPTIVATING AND PASSIONATE YOUR BEAUTY IS PHENOMENAL IF MOZART WERE ALIVE TODAY YOU WOULD BE HIS MUSE ❤

[@zauberfee2492]

Zum weinen. so süß und so berührend die Seele❤

[@patrickgallagher3513]

Stunning breath control!

[@Melbnolan]

La Superba. La Reina.

[@pennysmith2911]

What is amazing is that she makes it all sound effortless. Fantastic singer.

[@Classicvideofan]

Repose en paix avec les anges dont tu portais la voix en ce monde ....

[@bastianinicorelli]

Great Maria Stuarda! I was fortunate to have seen this remarkable woman a number of times on and off stage. RIP, dear Montse!

[@debbiejohnson2789]

You sure were lucky and smart! What wonderful memories you must have!

[@terrietackett8964]

They just don’t make them like this anymore!! 🥰 She made the Earth tremble !!

[@marymargaretblumhorst5359]

Yes they do.But believe it or not, some do not seek careers. Singing opera professionally is overwhelming! Beautiful voices are plentiful but very few have the money and patience for the training, the travel, the sacrifices one must make. It can be a grueling life. And never forget about the constant flow of operatic egos one must work with! You really must devote your life to show case your gift. More than most are willing to do. MMB

[@chokrighezal2693]

Absolutely amazing. May she rest in peace.

[@Tristanwille]

Incredible. One of the most brilliant and beautiful voices of our times. Thank you, Superba.

[@crapoula3372]

Qué increíblemente hermosa era, por dentro y por fuera. Por eso cantaba así 😚

[@SheldonBeldon]

yas queen wear that crown! What a legend.

[@jmiller05]

I was listening by chance to DiDonato singing this scene the other day, and whilst her crescendo was gradually disrupted by a strange, rattling vibrato, Caballe ascends unfettered over the orchestration. Breath control of the gods.

[@LohengrinO]

DiDonato developed Simionato's vibratto/tremolo in top notes, strange isnt it?

[@jmiller05]

Well Simionato was a dramatic voice so this was natural for her. But DiDonato, as soon as she started singing remotely heavier rep than her Mozart/Baroque she seems to have lost her voice. And when I say lost her voice, I'm not talking notes but the QUALITY of her voice. This is an important distinction. For example, Leontyne Price never lost her voice in terms of notes, but she lost the quality of her voice in the middle especially and everything became distorted and mushy tonally.

[@LohengrinO]

well DiDonato for some reason sends me completely off dont know why... I cant stand that thing she does that she thinks it is acting :D... (she pretends to be an actress) and did she really say recently that if u dont have trills like Joan Sutherland u better not trill at all? (if she said that and she is allowed to teach!! ...)

[@pericleslarrua3193]

jmiller05 ........yes...caballé is SPINTO

[@goranlindgren562]

I did not like DiDonato´s version at all! Had to breathe and the vibrato is terrible.

[@hugovera2308]

Los mejores pianisimos . Unica Monserrat

[@kastrafior1487]

Sublime et éternelle. No words. Respect. RIP

[@Serhii_Uk]

A voice from heaven!

[@Serhii_Uk]

Goosebumps all over my body!

[@franzitaduz]

Yes THIS was a moment.......She froze time sooooo often.

[@sytsebuwalda6570]

La Superba as a singer and in every other aspect of her life!! She will be dearly missed, but her music stays forever!

[@jfm177]

Si el cielo existiera ella seria un angel

[@Jgrayski]

I miss her so much. She shaped me as an artist.

[@continuousself-improvement1879]

All that while sitting down. What a queen indeed!

[@alainbergeron4520]

No doubt, she was the greatest!! My favorite of all.

[@salvatorewongcastello3255]

Hermosa como una Reina!! Ahora canta para Dios!!! descanza en paz hermosa criatura!!!

[@powerliftingcentaur]

I keep coming back to this. She is divinity itself to me.

[@sharonstromley9350]

Glorious..I know Callas and Montserrat were considered rivals but while Callas was 'fiery', Montserrat was not a temperamental "diva", but was gracious, approachable, lovely. Her daughter....the same. What a gifted family.

[@LohengrinO]

the only rival Callas ever had was dame Joan Sutherland... same applies for dame Joan

[@sharonstromley9350]

@@LohengrinO Your opinion is yours, of course, and free to express and, of course, I am free to disagree. Montserrat was a remarkable voice, one of a kind, with incredible control. One of a kind, as was Joan. Montserrat 's control was exceptional, now or in any other century.

[@sharonstromley9350]

@@LohengrinO By the way, Callas and Montserrat were friends and Callas acknowledged Montserrat was a extraordinary talent. Joan didn't comment much on other women's voices, unlike Montserrat who was always gracious, and Callas, gracious to those she admired.

[@LohengrinO]

@@sharonstromley9350 yes but Montsy's voice was so Flawed she never managed to compare with Maria or dame Joan... only in the mind of her fans but that way Maria also compared to almost everyone (Birgit's fans think it was only Maria and Birgit, Tebaldi's fans same, Ponselle's fans same etc etc) Callas can only be compared slightly with dame Joan but definetely not with Montsy and by far not at level of being rivals... Montsy sang all her Music with Gorgeous Divine Pianissimi but she literally butchered all difficult parts and cut them short to her limited singing abilities with always a Beautiful end result but nevertheless Butchered

[@BigDaddyDracula]

@@LohengrinO to say that Montserrat’s voice was “so flawed” implies that Callas’s voice was not. Calls undoubtedly has more obvious flaws but she was such a great performer that we were able able to overlook them

[@MisterSoprano]

I will miss you, dear Montserrat.

[@Jgrayski]

Absolutely amazing! I miss her everyday.

[@classicaldame4372]

Absolutely stunning.

[@natanaelgorrin9473]

La belleza y dulzura de su voz ninca será igualada, pero su técnica respiratoria difícilmente se superará. Gracias Monse...

[@debralovering2747]

Sublime technique and the wonderful tone of her voice, even with this scratchy soundtrack

[@mikelaranaetxarri2934]

RIP Prima Donna

[@operaloversabater3690]

Love all the comments. Great story at the zoo no less! Her pianissimos are unmatched. Even today. Brava!

[@smtaz7631]

FABULOUS!!!

[@natiguaraz7764]

Magnífica y eterna voz que sonará en el cielo.Descanse en paz.⚘

[@designx8693]

When you finally just can't ignore the roar of applause. well-deserved. astounding.

[@teresavicario5848]

Holy moly!! That crescendo out of the 21 second pp!! Just the best.

[@1stGeorgiePie]

Caballé was so underrated. Gorgeous!

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Morningglory NOT REALLY. LA SUPERBA! 💜🚶💃🎼🎵

[@highcastle1]

Actually, she was the talk of the town after a last-minute substitution for Marilyn Horne at the Metropolitan Opera's performance of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia on April 21, 1965. The headline on the front page of the New York Times was, "CALLAS + TEBALDI = CABALLE." For the next two decades, she was in constant demand throughout the world. The fact that she recorded for EMI/HMV (whose slogan was "The Greatest Musical Organisation in the World"), whose records were released by Angel/Capitol in this country, probably made her less known here than in the rest of the world.

[@peterdanish9237]

@@highcastle1 By WHOM exactly was she underrated?

[@robbymonaco3738]

she is quite simply the best

[@ЛюдмилаШилова-к8и]

Bravissimo!!!!!Geniale!!!!!!🌹

[@eliaspires100]

This is a divine voice.

[@luvmuzik4me]

Super fantastic! Is there anyone a good as she was?

[@mariogomez-hv2ir]

The sad thing is that Goverments of Catalonia ,after her death never did any tribute to commemorate her unic gift,because she wasn't independentist.Part of catalonians never forgot her ,because once she said that she was proud to be Spanish.... and then catalana!

[@LohengrinO]

the greek communists were planning to murder Callas like they murdered Helen Papadakis...

[@Gabriel-hs9mv]

Lol as if Caballé needed tributes from losers

[@CherryBlossomskt]

She makes me want to sing

[@LohengrinO]

me too!! :D (but like her not the way I sing :D )

[@vxhorusxv]

If that’s not a fantastic compliment, I don’t know what is!

[@renaatdeckers4940]

Isley Claymore Exacatly People and singer/ students schould listen to this everyday instead of this modern crap!!!! Oh please it’s noice nothing to do with music!!!!

[@CherryBlossomskt]

@@LohengrinO Yes 👍 I feel like a heavenly being when I try to hit those notes 🎵

[@CherryBlossomskt]

@@vxhorusxv Thank you. Caballe will always inspire.

[@black-woman-1]

There is one more Angel in Heaven and one more Star in the Sky. Madame Montserrat Caballè 🖤 Great Donna what are we without you. 🎶 The light goes out in the opera house, because you are silent. 😣 Before her art, the world went to it's knees. Thousands bowing down.🤗🤗🤗👍🌹🌷 Now come out with angels in the choir as Prima Donna. We all missed you but we don't forget you. 💔 Senöra Montserrat Caballè you are allways in our Hearts and our Souls. She was a very famous Person and a great Singer with the most beautiful Voice I've ever heard. It was to have met her a great honor and I'am never forget it. She was an open and warm person in dealing with her Fan's. Hope She's finding Freedom and singing with Freddie and all Angels in Heaven now.

[@eileendong3225]

No one beats her Visi d,Arte!

[@judithbereczky4114]

Callas does.

[@agnolatam1]

Un día molt trist. Adéu Montse, ens deixes el regal de la teva veu única i incomparable. Mai t'oblidarem. Descansa en pau.

[@tropicalstrings]

Such a beautifull voice. I counted 23 sec.

[@donaldessiane5829]

Beyond the pianissimo, she also deserves huge props for the Contre-Contre-Do (I don't know anglophones identify notes) at the end. That note is sung beautifully.

[@arnoldamaral7406]

Always so gracious and generous Our Monse. The best will ever hear my friends. Arnold Bourbon Amaral 👱👴🌿🌹🌍🌏🌎🎶🎵🎼💙

[@marshall62020]

La Reina del Pianissimo brava!!!!

[@annaattanasio9263]

Troppo brava👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@ps8500]

Incredible!

[@kitheskethharvey3576]

Crowns cast down too to Donizetti. The power of those modulations of key is the bedrock of why this is so stunningly moving

[@pablobanados6552]

Here Donizzetti reaches the glory with his most beautiful Preghiera. Miss Caballé 's incomparable voice is out of this World.

[@stephen1371]

I just love Caballe and I love it when she turns here head and acknowledges the rest of the cast. I read the discussion below between Lohengrin O and PleaseEnterAName and am amazed at the sophistication of their dialogue. I read some "arguments" in the comment sections(and I look at as broad spectrum of YT) and most people can hardly speak or write the english language much less be so elevated in their thoughts and opinions. These two must both be ardent lovers of opera and I admire such passion. Oh...I just noticed this is Lohengrin's channel. Thanks for the vid.

[@michelsavoie5198]

Stephen .

[@MrLuis85698]

Stephen Lohengrin is one of the most knowledgeable humans in the world when it comes to opera

[@giovannab.7675]

Esecuzione prodigiosa, una vetta del canto. È così che la ricorderò sempre, Montserrat amatissima

[@BalbirSingh-gr2qk]

❤️ Beautiful ❤️

[@maryw246]

Madam Caballe is a goddess.

[@jonasnorkel]

Descanse en paz. Grande.

[@rene-parizh]

Je l'adore!

[@jairofonseca1597]

Goddess !!

[@jean-pauldouziech]

ce serait super le même extrait avec un son écoutable...merci

[@Emilaria]

This beautiful human is unreal

[@willypipito]

The Superba!!!!!

[@alextudor43]

La Superba !

[@jan-p4s]

Wunderbar ❤

[@wudangmtn]

I’m not a big opera fan, but that is some impressive singing!

[@josesaezcarreras6861]

Sólo se puede decir "sublime"

[@belcantopera4562]

Rest in peace.

[@norakleps8344]

The two women on either side of her know they have been standing next to God's voice