The legacy of Montserrat Caballé is still alive as tomorrow marks five years since her death, as demonstrated by her admirers on social networks or the activities of her Foundation, which hopes that public administrations make the dream of soprano to have a museum in Barcelona.
In statements to EFE, the president and general director of the Montserrat Caballé Foundation, Montserrat Caballé Claus, highlighted that one of the soprano’s last wishes was that Barcelona, the city where she was born on April 12, 1933 and where she died on April 6, October 2018, will house a museum with his belongings.
His family, the foundation itself and many of his friends are now waiting for the different administrations to put thread to the needle so they can start designing this equipment in Barcelona.
Best in the city center
Caballé Claus has pointed out, in this sense, that they are waiting for “the Generalitat, the City Council and the Provincial Council to listen to us, after some time demanding it.”
He understands that creating a museum “is something expensive, large and we do not intend for it to be immediate, but we would like to start talking about it among all, because there are other cities interested, but we want Barcelona to be the headquarters and we know that there are buildings available.”
“We have her entire legacy,” he stated, “and what we will never do, not even out of necessity, is auction anything, because what Montserrat had belongs to the family, but now we would like her followers to be able to enjoy it.” A museum in the center and a street.
Asked if there is any location for the museum that they are especially thinking about, Montserrat Caballé indicated that they would like it to be central “so that there would be ease of access, both for people from the country and for foreigners, some of whom would surely travel to the city expressly to visit the new center.”
A street in Barcelona with his name
Regarding the possibility of having a street named after her in the Catalan capital, the president of the Foundation has indicated that by law it cannot be done until five years have passed since the death, a period that ends tomorrow, thus that “I hope this project is now underway.”
In recent weeks, following the auction of the original manuscript of the song “Barcelona”, by Freddie Mercury, at Sotheby’s, proposals have arisen to place a plaque in the area of Plaza Glòries, with the names of Montserrat Caballé and Freddie Mercury.
However, Montserrat Caballé Claus believes, “and this is a personal opinion, that it deserves a street, a square or an avenue, more than a memorial plaque, because it was, not only one of the greatest in the world of lyric “But he is someone who has remained in history.”
At the same time, he highlighted that Montserrat Caballé “took Catalonia around the world, her first album was about Toldrà’s songs, she was from Barcelona and took the name of the city to the whole world.”
On the other hand, the PP candidate for mayor of Barcelona, Daniel Sirera, proposed last April that the Sants railway station be renamed Caballé.
Singing Competition and Career Masterclasses
As for the International Singing Competition promoted by the Foundation, it is clear that it must continue because the soprano’s great dream was that the young generations should continue to be supported so that they end up making their debut in the great theaters around the world.
Thanks to this contest, today’s leading figures, such as Pene Pati or Pretty Yende, were able to become better known.
“Looking at the current panorama – says Caballé Claus – we are clear that there will be great singers because there is a lot of talent and there are quite a few of them right here, although perhaps they need to be given opportunities to debut.”
Furthermore, in 2023, in which Montserrat Caballé would have turned ninety years old, the Foundation has presented its first ‘master classes’ with the tenor Josep Carreras giving them a few days ago.
Montserrat Caballé Claus highlighted that these classes “have been a success, with the young participants really enjoying Carreras and he, delighted to be able to be there with them.”
The Montserrat Caballé Foundation also plans to organize a Christmas concert to commemorate the ninetieth anniversary of the soprano’s birth.
By Nadeem Faisal Baiga
