Montserrat Caballe singing Turandot finale from Ultra Forte to Pianissimo (Paris, 1981)

[@andremxa3163]

When she died, I was taken aback that the Queen attended her funeral. Now I can see. She was royalty herself.

[@maestroclassico5801]

Wait.....the Queen of Spain or Queen Elizabeth????

[@isaacsamuel9520]

The queen of spain

[@VenusEvan_1885]

God she is extraterrestrial, fallen to us from another planet, her voice is unreal.

[@dormaus]

If anyone in the future wanted understand what Montserrat Caballe was all about and why she was one of the very greats of the 20th century, all that would have to do is listen to the complete recordings of this Turandot and the 1974 Norma from Arles. Words would not be necessary!

[@vocalisse]

Not Arles, but théâtre antique d'Orange

[@dormaus]

@@vocalisse Yes, of course, you are quite right, my mistake!

[@Paddy818]

So true! She could truly sing anything written for the soprano voice. Legendary!

[@dormaus]

@@garynilsson416 No, you are not alone!!!!

[@astoriacub]

Her breath control and placement was perfection. She made it sound easy.

[@qsilverboy01]

Amazing control of voice without any sign of strains!

[@corneliuswhite5139]

Montsy effortlessly poured out glass-cutting forte with total command, then caressed phrases with unparalleled pianissimi. I just love her!

[@astoriacub]

It's her pianissimo that impresses me. The pitch is perfect, it just floats there and just spins. And her tone is warm, resonant and focused, all the overtones she's generating gives the sound a ring. Her technique is flawless, it's a masterclass in bel canto singing. The only other person who could match her was Pavarotti in his prime.

[@stagedoorJohnny99]

I don’t read music but I totally get it! Whoa what a voice!

[@viettenor]

Her pianissimos are incredible - just floats in the stratosphere!

[@emitch9213]

Never again of the likes to MONTSERRAT CABALLE, the last of the great DIVAS in the 20th Century...🌹💞

[@richiejohnson]

Renee Fleming

[@englishincontext4025]

None shall sleep when Caballe's on stage. A force of nature.

[@philipkoch6811]

I heard Caballe sing Turandot live in San Francisco in the late 70's. She was Perfect.

[@mugrad25]

How big would u say her voice was

[@WelshHomo87]

​@@mugrad25not big enough for turandot. She was a lighter soprano

[@mugrad25]

@@WelshHomo87 thanks...was curious of how her voice carried in the house

[@richiejohnson]

I saw a production with Eva Marton in Boston about the same time. You may have been able to hear her in San Francisco!

[@zauberfee2492]

​@@WelshHomo87 Doch ds finde ich

[@Antonio-qm3bi]

I am absolutely obsessed with Caballe's beauty and elegance especially as Turandot, raising her arms on those high notes (2:06), just as she does when saying "mai nessun m'avrà" in the climax of In questa Reggia.

[@philipc67]

A stupendous Turandot she sings here. This, and her 1974 Orange Norma, are her two greatest filmed live performances. Brava La Superba!

[@felixlizarraga1033]

My favorite Turandot, my favorite Calaf.

[@winnie4992]

I’m sure her voice could cut and polish diamonds. Wonderful. RIP MC

[@christopherrobinwattsthoma6318]

Fortunately I was there that evening and live it was just magic!

[@javieralejandrogutierrezfa8882]

O...M...G .....you are so lucky ...Congratulations

[@emitch9213]

What a thrilling night you experienced. Caballe! What can one even say but wow. And at Paris Opera. Wonderful!

[@victorli5638]

1:06 was not humanly What I sensed by my ears was a divine and flawless textbook illusion of ff -> pp at VERY HIGH range. Caballe doesn’t need a high E to earn her everlasting esteem among her peers, she never needed it.

[@mugrad25]

Facts

[@Antonio-qm3bi]

And don't forget that she does that while walking, so it was effortless for her

[@RBP1963]

Caballé at over 20 years of fulgurant career deserves a high voltage Principessa ! Among Giuseppe Giacomini one of the best tenore , humble and great as fews !!!!

[@markoorvo62]

They both are just phenomenal, Montserrat and Giuseppe

[@leonieallan9804]

Amazing ! Turandot has the most spectacular finish, it’s like a fitting farewell to Puccini, fortunately his friends could finish the last little bit for him as he left behind details of what he wanted, Caballe absolutely nails this, Nessun Dorma has to be the most famous aria of all time and when Pavarotti does it, OMG !

[@Tenortalker]

We will not see or hear the like of Caballe and Giacomini again. Their training and approach as singers was radically different to that of today's singers , even if there are now some fine , interesting artistes who shine for a while. Here in this clip we have vocal mastery , greatness.

[@davidwelch8288]

Caballe said that when she went to school for voice, the professor had been an Olympic swimmer, and the entire first year of that class was nothing but breathing training.. she said so many students were dropping the class.. but she stuck with it.. 😁

[@emitch9213]

Yes, the master voice teachers are few. The Italian technique is slight to be available to singers, today. These contracted singers do not have their full command of voice. There is not the stable technique developed. The Golden Age was a gift of time.

[@robert111k]

@@emitch9213, Italian technique? Caballé is pure García's. Bel canto. The voice has to be always linked to the physical and psycological needs of the character.

[@halewich]

I'm not an opera guy but this was really good. I'm glad I listened to the whole thing because I recognized the melody from Nessun Dorma starting at 4:48. I looked it up and what do you know, Nessun Dorma is from Turandot. I became a tiny bit more of an opera guy today.

[@Antonio-qm3bi]

Please, go to check "In questa reggia" (from this Performance). You won't regret

[@philipanderson4673]

good for you!...

[@philippeclement8140]

Ces Turandot de Paris- et juste après à Avignon- comptent parmi mes plus grands souvenirs d'opéra. Certes il manquait quelques consonnes, et certains biais pouvaient paraître contestables. Mais le rôle était arraché à des grands voix impressionnantes mais trop marmoréennes: la puissance de Caballé, bien réelle, mais aussi le moelleux, la féminité du timbre, rendaient à Turandot son humanité blessée, une fragilité, une humanité. Je puis vous assurer qu'après cette incroyable note finale, le public du Palais Garnier EXPLOSAIT d'allégresse et d'admiration.

[@Bailey2006a]

The pianissimos… perfection!

[@judyjones2475]

WOW Montserrat was just fabulous ,this is absolutely awesome the best ever 👏 😀 💖

[@liguten]

Caballé une Turandot d'exception !!

[@richiejohnson]

There is no other finale in opera more orgasmically fulfilling than this. Leaves me breathless every time. Nobody creates the same sort of epiphany out of a simple 12 notes.

[@massimocassano2545]

Anche l' epilogo/ finale del Mefistofele di Boito

[@astridgunkel2230]

I love Turandot with Montserrat Caball'e......so amazing pianissimo 💞💞💞💞

[@bonkerss2073]

Why can’t the Paris Opera remaster and HD the f out of it and sell it? I bet it would make a lot of money for the house and it will make us Caballe fans super happy!

[@maestroclassico5801]

One of maybe 3 ever who NAILED Turandot AND Liu!

[@claudiocavaliere856]

Absolutely breathtaking! She will be forever in our hearts!

[@yldefonsomunoz-sola2711]

How wonderful the way she expresses her dismay and alarm when she sings her second "So il tuo nome" at 1:06. She is almost sorry she had found out and has to be the source of his death. Incredible interpretation. And consistent with an already vanquished Turandot.

[@10.6.12.]

A mythical being in our midst so transcendent it is at times hard to fathom ...

[@ИванБорискин-ф3к]

Монтсеррат Кабалье гений вокала!

[@sergiosanchezsanchez8712]

Montserrat Caballé, sin duda, una de las grandes Turandot.👋🏻👋🏻👋🏻👌🏻❤️👍🏻

[@danielintheantipodes6741]

The good old days, where were frequently not so good, had aspects to them which really were that good, or better. We are unlikely to ever hear anything like this again.

[@michelgaubert8887]

Extraordinaire Turandot avec l'inoubliable Caballe ,alors au faite de ses moyens vocaux.Elle fut et demeure une voix qui m'a bouleversé pour toute ma vie...

[@robertbaker3100]

I've watched this clip so many times and it is really one of the great performances of the 20th century. I would not have believed that Caballe's attack would be so consistently strong, without a beat or stridency, and the way she sculpts the phrases illuminate the music of the role like no other singer has done. And I've heard all the great recorded Turandots in on recordings or live. Giacomini is an ideal forthright partner. How the singers and chorus negotiated those stairs is extraordinary!

[@rekeuischarles2577]

La Superba! One of her best. When she was on she really was on fire. My favorite soprano ever. Brava...

[@maxcornise7204]

I treasure as well the memory of her incredible recitals at Carnegie Hall in the 70s and 80s-unforgettable. At one she sang In Questa Reggia as an encore followed by the Casta Diva!

[@mugrad25]

I didnt know she could sing like this

[@marianieto855]

This video is a treasure ❤❤

[@379ania]

Wow, what a voice and she was so sweet I wish to hear her voice in real. With love to a music 🎶 big opera fan

[@albertomejiasbarcelona1189]

Super turandot with monserrat caballe one of the best

[@1614antuanna]

Фантастично!!!!Брависсимо!!!!

[@RogerSmallwood]

Fantastic. God bless you Montserrat Caballe a voice of an Angel 🙏❤️xxx

[@matOpera]

Spectacular

[@miguelsalinas4143]

Que maravilla!!!!

[@tonio7367]

la Superba DIVA!

[@marcosv01feitosa]

Extraordinário!!! Grande área da ópera turandot( nessum dorma) impressionante🇧🇷👏👏👏👏👏😍😍😍😍

[@joanacastro3182]

MAGNIFIQUE!

[@marcopimentel615]

Extraordinary 🎉. Wonderful talent 😮

[@ludovicusschmitz3574]

Both were great !

[@richardgornalle4536]

Superb.

[@alessandromoroni5885]

Bravissima una voce stupenda pianissimi da brividi, ma non capisco una parola di quel che canta.

[@mariateresapitarque1703]

Siempre impresionante👏👏👏👏👏👏!!!!!!!!!

[@wuaaron808]

Fantastic!

[@zauberfee2492]

Die ganze Oper wäre so schön❤

[@katimwong2623]

Amazing!

[@phil2u48]

A stupendous Turandot, yes…but let’s not forget that Giacomini was equally powerful as Calaf. I can’t imagine a duo that was their equal.

[@harryockhuysen2160]

Evere listened to Nilsson and Corelli ? Btw not saying this isn’t wonderful!

[@phil2u48]

@@harryockhuysen2160 Oh yes..! I owned an LP recording at one time and I believe Caballé sang Liu. I sold all my LP’s a number of years ago.

[@williamdonahue6617]

Imagine doing all that for 3 hours at a stretch with a huge headdress, gobs of makeup and 20+ lbs. of costume, under baking lights.

[@bethfiori4708]

Good point. Yes, we often forget the physical demands of such performances.

[@philipc67]

The role of Turandot is about 45min in a two-hour opera. So it doesn’t call for endless vocal expenditure. Norma and Isolde are much longer.

[@mypocketcalculator]

This passage is just stellar. At the later side of her career, other voices for sure much better suited for the role. But wow what a performance, in her own way. One of the true greats.

[@robert111k]

Menos mal que está grabado. Si no, nos tendríamos que seguir tragando bobadas malintencionadas sobre lo floja que fue la Turandot de Caballé. Qué grande fue esta mujer. La más.

[@matthewtravisano1097]

This was a bit later in her performing career when the voice had lost some of its luster but…her appearances as Turandot in San Francisco and Paris in the late 1970s were magnificent.

[@fierywomanpacnw7004]

I heard the San Francisco one -- Pavarotti was the Calaf and (then) Prince Charles was in the audience.

[@emitch9213]

Yes, Caballe was coming into another area of vocal age. Her 60s and early 70s were her time of WOW. But when she was in voice, how she could knock a performance out of this world.

[@luisnorbertogomez7058]

Maravillosa Caballé,magnífico Giacomini

[@Olgaalwina]

Ein einmaliges Sängerfest !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[@vivianbelissima]

Brava Caballe

[@aetion]

Όντως είναι καταπληκτική κι αυτό το ξέρουμε όλοι. Αλλά δυστυχώς, ο Giacomini, ο τελευταίος από τούς μεγάλους δραματικούς τενόρους, παραμένει σχεδόν άγνωστος στους πολλούς, παρά το ότι είχε μία λαμπρή καριέρα και πολλές εγγραφές, στούντιο και ζωντανές, όπως εδώ. Δεν μπορώ να το καταλάβω. Να είσαι καλά, φίλε μου.

[@sw5114]

You do know why. Pavarotti, Carreras, and esp. Domingo. They controlled the scene, record companies and public awarenesses. The 3 tenors and all that jazz. Giacomini could blast any one of them into orbit..

[@stone301]

Because he chokes the notes too much

[@emitch9213]

Well, because the Golden Age of Opera had endless tenors that houses were contracted full into 6 years away from a signature. Look at who all the tenors were: the heavens gave us a time of Opera that will never happen again.

[@rickloduca394]

Wow, I never knew the Ms Caballe sang Turandot! Is there a full opera video available? And I see Leona Mitchell was Liu, what a cast! Bravi!

[@OperaMyWorld]

It’s complete here in KZbin

[@rickloduca394]

@@OperaMyWorld Thanks! I guess I coulda looked before I asked…😉

[@jorgeodelar974]

👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏👏

[@robert111k]

Menos mal que está grabado. Si no, nos seguirían tratando de vender bobadas sobre lo mala que fue la Turandot de Caballé. De acuerdo que, si quieres un sargento de carabineros y no una princesa china, a lo mejor se adapta más, no sé, Dimitrova al papel (a la que admiro profundamente, no se me entienda mal), pero la creación que hace Caballé en esta ópera es digna de pasar a la historia como la mejor, sin ninguna duda. Y no hay más que ver y oír, no hace falta que ningún cursi fanatizado nos explique cómo lo blanco se convierte en negro, que el cielo es verde en realidad y que el mar, a pesar de su aspecto, en el fondo es amarillo. Los que tenemos ojos y oídos vemos y oímos. Lo demás, puñetero chamullo.

[@jedlinnen6528]

Wow

[@AnaLuiza-rl9ee]

Excelente...❤ Deus a tenha...

[@Dr.Pepper001]

If only this were in more high resolution.

[@Diosquepenademundo]

[@jondavwal13]

What is it that is lost today? Sopranos today have this weird way of singing vibrato that renders their notes virtually pitches. Sutherland, Caballe, Price, Callas (except extremely high), etc. all managed to keep the core sound of their voice through the top and as someone else said "like laser beams". Today isn't really a problem of a spread vibrato. It literally sounds like there is no pitch, just a high pitched sound (Angela Meade is a supreme example of this horror). In any event, Caballe sounds amazing in this video.

[@jean-claudecalise7470]

Imperial !

[@laprimmadonna2341]

OperaMyWorld podrías subir el perfomance completo...a mi me sabe a poco, por favor...gracias

[@robert111k]

¿Qué es el performance?

[@laprimmadonna2341]

@@robert111k la ópera completa

[@zayvier69]

Was this in an inside theatre or outside theatre?

[@OperaMyWorld]

Paris Opera (inside)

[@MicheleBrignone-r6b]

Questa è l'OPERA

[@derekdzinich8690]

2:06

[@Sebastian740]

Who was the Tenor??

[@OperaMyWorld]

Read the description please! Giuseppe Giacomini!

[@クジラブリ大根]

小梅太夫感ある

[@plutao_pt]

Mr. Mercury was right