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PEOPLE & ARTS Monday 8 october 2018

Spanish opera singer Montserrat Caballe dies at 85

By CIARAN GILES on graduating in 1954. She
JOSEPH WILSON went on to study opera in
Associated Press Milan and in 1956 joined the
BARCELONA, Spain (AP) Basel Opera and played
— Montserrat Caballe, a her first major role that year
Spanish opera singer re- in the city’s Staatstheater
nowned for her bel canto as Mimi in Puccini’s “La Bo-
technique and her inter- heme.” Four years later, she
pretations of the roles of was a principal singer with
Rossini, Bellini and Donizetti, the Bremen Opera.
has died. She was 85. In 1964, Caballe gave
Caballe died early Satur- a highly praised perfor-
day at Hospital San Pau in mance of Jules Masenet’s
Barcelona, hospital spokes- “Manon” in Mexico City,
man Abraham del Moral but it was a year later in
told The Associated Press. New York that a lucky break
Caballe’s family requested launched her on the road
the cause of death not be to international stardom.
released, del Moral said, On short notice, Caballe
adding that she had been stood in for indisposed
in the hospital since Sep- American soprano Marilyn
tember. Horne in a concert per-
Spanish media said that formance in Donizetti’s
Caballe entered the hospi- “Lucrezia Borgia” at New
tal last month because of a York’s Carnegie Hall and
gall bladder problem. achieved a thunderous
Condolences poured in success. It opened the
from the world of opera In this Nov. 17, 2006, file photo, Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe, with Swiss moderator doors to all the major opera
and Spain’s highest author- Kurt Aeschbacher welcomes the public on the occasion of the celebration of her 50th stage venues around the world.
ities. King Felipe VI tweeted anniversary in Basel, Switzerland. She produced a highly-
that Caballe was “the great Associated Press acclaimed performance
lady of opera, legend of Carreras praised her “ver- her voice” and her prodi- In her almost unlimited as Elisabetta of Valois in an
universal culture, the best satility,” saying “she could gious technique. repertoire, she starred in all-star cast of Verdi’s “Don
of the best” and that “her do everything from the pur- London’s Royal Opera 90 opera roles with nearly Carlo” at the Arena di Ve-
personality and unequaled est bel canto all the way company said it was “sad- 4,000 stage performances. rona in 1969. The concert
voice will accompany us to Wagner’s ‘Tristan und dened to hear “ of Ca- Opera singer Maria Cal- became famous for her
forever.” Spanish Prime Isolde.’” balle’s death and that she las is once said to have “la” on the final “ah” at
Minister Pedro Sanchez said Barcelona’s Liceo opera “sang with us on a number answered “Only Caballe the very end of the opera,
a “a great ambassador of house, where Caballe per- of occasions between 1972 ...” when asked once who which lasted for more than
our country has died.” formed over 200 times, and and 1992 and inspired mil- she considered a worthy 20 bars up, driving the audi-
For tenor Jose Carreras, op- Venice’s Teatro La Fenice lions over the course of her successor. At 8, Caballe ence wild with delight.
era lost its “best soprano” also published tweets la- career with her stunning entered the Liceo’s Con- Caballe was also a noted
with the passing of Caballe. menting her loss. Madrid’s voice.” servatory in Barcelona recitalist, particularly of
“Of all the sopranos that Teatro Real said it would Born into a working class with Eugenia Kenny, Con- songs of her native Spain.
I have heard live, I have dedicate Saturday’s per- family in Barcelona, Cabal- chita Badea, and Napo- She was particularly ad-
never heard anyone like formance of “Faust” to the le unveiled her musical tal- leone Annovazzi among mired for her purity of
Montserrat,” Carreras told memory of Caballe, laud- ents early on, singing Bach her first teachers. She won voice, vocal shadings and
Catalunya Radio. ing the “singular beauty of cantatas at the age of 7. the school’s Gold Medal exquisite pianissimos.q

Novel by Hank Green is out of this world

By LINCEE RAY working at a Manhattan- both are dumbfounded to crack under the pressure of
Associated Press based startup by logging in learn that the video went social media, fear and un-
“An Absolutely Remarkable a ton of hours. So it’s no sur- viral. They are overnight certainty.
Thing” (Dutton), by Hank prise why she stumbles into sensations, and when the The only thing that an-
Green a 10-foot-tall Transformer- world discovers that oth- chors her to the real world
What if a huge, stagnant style robot on the sidewalk er cities have their own is a tight group of trusted
robot appeared out of at three o’clock in the “Carls,” April is thrust into friends and a unique chal-
nowhere on the streets of morning. What is surprising the spotlight as an expert. lenge presented to her by
New York City? And what is the robot seems to have Of course, every coin has Carl.
if you were the key to solv- materialized out of thin air. a flip side. While some find “An Absolutely Remarkable
ing the mystery of what it Baffled by the presumable the Carls intriguing and Thing” is a thrilling journey
wants? Hank Green takes piece of art before her, mysterious, eager to solve that takes a hard look at the
readers on a sci-fi adven- April calls her best friend why they are here, others power of fame and our will-
ture, tackling issues such as Andy to come and see the consider them a threat. ingness to separate a per-
social media obsession and robot. Andy videotapes April finds herself in a me- son from the brand. Green
global humanity in his nov- April with the structure, dia whirlwind defending manages to blend humor, This cover image released by
el, “An Absolutely Remark- whom she affectionately the robots, the possibility of mystery and science fic- Dutton shows “An Absolutely
Remarkable Thing,” a novel
able Thing.” names Carl, and uploads aliens, humanity and her tion in his fast-paced debut by Hank Green.
April May pays her dues the project. The next day, personal life. She begins to novel.q Associated Press