There are few who would argue that Montserrat Caballé, both in and near her prime (long over), had a voice of almost unearthly beauty, which was occasionally coupled with great interpretive powers and deep thought. The “great years” were probably 1970 to 1980; this CD presents her in excerpts from complete Decca operas recorded from ’72 to ’84. And although she is actually heard here in none of her true signature roles, there’s much to enjoy. The bits from La Gioconda are vocally the most daring, with plenty of exciting chest voice and temperament to burn, while Helen of Troy’s scene from Boito’s Mefistofele has little impact and finds more than a bit of strain at the top of the voice. She sings Adalgisa’s scene and duet with Pollione with feeling and ease (it sits low; Sutherland was the Norma on this set) and she’s ravishing in Liu’s two arias from Turandot, vocalising up to a whispered, exquisite high B-flat. It’s interesting to hear what a decade can do to a voice. Luisa Miller’s scenes are wonderful as well (from 1975) and come across more naturally than those from Andrea Chenier, recorded nine years later, although the latter certainly don’t suffer from lack of character. Her tenor on this CD is Luciano Pavarotti, who ranges from glorious and interesting to not-so-either, but still Pavarotti. As an intro to Caballé–a once-in-a-lifetime artist–this doesn’t tell us everything, but overall it’s pretty spectacular.
