Victoria de los Angeles/Montserrat Caballe
Stregata
are the possessors of exquisite voices which they always used to their best
advantage; both have excellent musicianship and vast repertories which include
opera, zarzuela and art song.
Victoria appeared in the operatic firmament way before Montserrat and her
Metropolitan Opera debut was hailed with such phrases as "An angel has arrived
from Spain." Montserrat, on the other hand, captivated operatic fans all over
the world with her unforgettable portrayal of Lucrezia Borgia at Carnegie Hall
in 1965. Famous and pampered by their fans, Victoria and Monserrat are proud
daughters of Spain and their artistry will always remain Spain's legacy to the
operatic world.
Why then this jealousy or rivalry that seemed to have always existed between
the two? Was this rivalry needed, in the first place, or was it just a
publicity stunt? Can anybody shed some light? Many thanks.
Stregata
GRNDPADAVE
>Date: Sun, Jul 26, 1998 17:22 EDT
>Message-id: <199807262122...@ladder03.news.aol.com>
Stregata,
-
You pose an interesting question. It is akin to questioning the feud (a real
one) that estranged Jan Peerce from his brother-in-law, Richard Tucker.
-
Is there a feud between de los Angeles and Caballé?
-
I find these two artists, despite overlappping repertory, quite different. De
los Angeles is the more aristicratic in my judgment. There is never a hint of
vulgarity in her singing. Indeed some may criticize her "purity". But there
is an immense dignity about her singing regardless of the role. This robs
something of the earthiness in roles such as Santuzza or Nedda (and, possibly,
Carmen). But what a wonderful Maria (Amalia) Boccanegra or Desdemona or
Marguérite or Mélisande!
-
Caballé is my preferred Violetta because she does project a bit of earthiness
while demonstrating the musicality to do justice to the fioriture. But
Caballé's excesssive chestiness in Gioconda is just the sort of thing I would
never expect from De los Angeles. I think a Caballé Tosca would be more
plausible than one from De los Angeles.
-
Caballé developed a reputation for cancelling many performances. De los
Angeles seemed to be the more reliable.
-
I don't know if there ever was a personal feud between the two. It may just be
the excesses of their respective fans. As you may have observed fans tend to
exaggerate the virtues of their idols as well as the deficiencies of their
idols' rivals.
-
Like you, I admire both singers - and I would add Teresa Berganza as yet
another Spanish (mezzo) soprano who has brought great honor to her art and her
country.
-
Thank you for reminding us that Spain has given us great female singers as well
as the considerable list of first quality tenors.
-
==G/P Dave
Opvidfan
The feud between De Los Angeles and Caballe is not publicity but very real.
It has been well documented in the Spanish/Catalan press. I have loads of the
clippings.
It really seems more agressive coming from De Los Angeles directed toward the
Caballes brother/sister team. She feels that Carlos Caballe has a strangle
hold on the musical life in Spain and quite literaly blames him personally for
slights, lack of prestigeous bookings etc. It also came to a head re the
rebuilding of the Liceu and whether the old private holding of the building
would continue.
De Los Angeles whom I adore has had a much more tragic life w/
herdevelopementally disabled son and of course her embezeling, philandering,
abandoning husband. She went through a very rough vocal patch but came back
magnificently. I went to the 96 rectial in SF where ironically she subbed for
a sick Caballe.
She was great!
I have not read any counter attack from Caballe. Caballe sang here, South Bay
in 95 and was incredible. She is a charmer.
Las dos son diosas y me llenan con orgullo.
Ray in SF
donpaolo
Stregata <stre...@aol.com> wrote in article
<199807262122...@ladder03.news.aol.com>...
> Why then this jealousy or rivalry that seemed to have always existed
between
> the two? Was this rivalry needed, in the first place, or was it just a
> publicity stunt? Can anybody shed some light? Many thanks.
>
> Stregata
I do not understand the basis for any "rivalry" between the two. Although
they did share some roles, Caballe delved into the more dramatic, even took
on Wagner, & sang loads of bel canto as well. I just canNOT imagine DeLosA
even attempting Tosca, the Leonoras or Lucrezia, for example.
I just adored the gifts of Caballe - once heard her do a mezza di voce in
"D'amor sull'ali rosee" that remains one of the greatest moments in all my
operatic experience...breathtaking.
However, never much cared for the DeLosA sound or production, per se, which
I found rather too precise, coldly metalic & rather cold.
To me, there is no logic to a comparison between the two, being very
different singers, even if of the same ethnic roots - sort of like
comparing Mr. Carreras to Domingo, who similarly are quite different.
Regards,
DonP.
SDRodrian
>Angeles/Montserrat Caballe
>From: stre...@aol.com (Stregata)
>Date: Sun, Jul 26, 1998 17:22 EDT
>Message-id: <199807262122...@ladder03.news.aol.com>
>
>IMO, there are many similarities between these two great ladies of opera:
>Both
>are the possessors of exquisite voices which they always used to their best
>advantage; both have excellent musicianship and vast repertories which
>include
>opera, zarzuela and art song.
>
>Victoria appeared in the operatic firmament way before Montserrat and her
>Metropolitan Opera debut was hailed with such phrases as "An angel has
>arrived
>from Spain." Montserrat, on the other hand, captivated operatic fans all
>over
>the world with her unforgettable portrayal of Lucrezia Borgia at Carnegie
>Hall
>in 1965. Famous and pampered by their fans, Victoria and Monserrat are proud
>daughters of Spain and their artistry will always remain Spain's legacy to
>the
>operatic world.
>
>the two? Was this rivalry needed, in the first place, or was it just a
>publicity stunt? Can anybody shed some light? Many thanks.
>
>Stregata
What about Domingo's apparently deliverate slighting of the
greatest tenor Spain has produced at that World Soccer thing
(namely Alfredo Kraus)....?
Maybe it's one of those Spanish 'things.'
S D Rodrian
GRNDPADAVE
>Date: Sun, Jul 26, 1998 21:21 EDT
>Message-id: <199807270121...@ladder01.news.aol.com>
S D Rodrian writes:
====================================
>What about Domingo's apparently deliverate slighting of the
>greatest tenor Spain has produced at that World Soccer thing
>(namely Alfredo Kraus)....?
>
>Maybe it's one of those Spanish 'things.'
Interesting! Spain produces great tenors at World Soccer things? Even when
they occur in Paris? If that is where Kraus was produced, wouldn't that make
him French?
-
And I always thought that Kraus was born somewhere among the Canary Islands.
-
==G/P Dave
Enrique Eskenazi
stre...@aol.com (Stregata) wrote:
>Why then this jealousy or rivalry that seemed to have always existed
between
>the two? Was this rivalry needed, in the first place, or was it just a
>publicity stunt? Can anybody shed some light? Many thanks.
>
Montserrat Caballe declared that she considered Victoria de los Angeles'
voice "the most beautiful instrument in the world"
---
Enrique
eske...@mail.sendanet.es
Io chi sono? Eh, non lo so.
-Nol sapete?
Quasi no.
Enrique Eskenazi
<donp...@erols.com> wrote:
>
>I do not understand the basis for any "rivalry" between the two.
Although
>they did share some roles, Caballe delved into the more dramatic, even
took
>on Wagner, & sang loads of bel canto as well. I just canNOT imagine
DeLosA
>even attempting Tosca, the Leonoras or Lucrezia, for example.
Or Gioconda...
De los Angeles was a magnificen Elisabeth (Tannhauser- role she sang at
Bayreuth) and Elsa (Lohengrin), but certainly didn't attempt Isolde (as
Caballe ).
On the other hand, De los Angeles sang Carmen or Santuzza or
Charlotte...which are dramatic roles (falcon?)
>never much cared for the DeLosA sound or production, per se, which
>I found rather too precise, coldly metalic & rather cold.
It's strange how each people hear: loving as I do Caballe's voice and
singing, I've always found in Victoria de los Angeles a much more
velvety sound, almost caressing. And, in some roles, more spontaneous
and even ingenuous compared to the somehow matronile and stylized
Caballé..
.
>To me, there is no logic to a comparison between the two, being very
>different singers
Right. But some comparison is possible or even necessary, at least in
regard to the roles that both great singers have shared: Mimi, Violetta,
Butterfly, Marguerite, etc.