Montserrat Caballé - Master Class 2011

Montserrat the great teacher. Interesting to know that whilst other stars charge astronomical prices for their expertise Montserrat's classes are free. It's evidence of her commitment to the future of opera. She thinks to the future!

[paul-ogdenford]

BREATH BEFORE SOUND. Brava Montserrat!
Caballe stated in an interview that her first vocal instructor made her students do breathing exercises only for 8 months. No singing. Most parents pulled their children out of the class. Caballe said after 8 months she could sing anything.

[subbiejon]

Talk about pressure!  One of the world's greatest in front of you and every time you open your mouth she shakes her head.  But what an opportunity, to have her tune you in that way.

[pablodavids]

She is incredibly patient. She is trying again and again and again without even shouting at her or showing any sign of tedium. That's a real MASTER CLASS and for free!!! What else can we ask for? EXTRAORDINARY Montserrat Caballé:-) Long life to the diva who is not a diva but an amazing and beautiful HUMAN BEING.

[flyinghow]

It is amazing the number of singers you see in conservatories and in master classes that have good voices, but they cannot breathe and have not been taught or mastered proper breath support. The tone is always under supported. This is what Caballe is trying to get across. A good voice is nothing and will have no longevity if breath support is not truly mastered. Teachers and singers pay lip service to the concept, but oftentimes that is where it ends.

[gcmacyman]

Montserrat had incredible breathing control, some of the best in opera and what a great teacher. A dream to take master classes with the top singers of the genre.

[nasugbubatangas]

She's one of my favourite opera singers... Wow!!! And she's doing it for free...

[debbiejohnson]

She showed no signs of frustration with that girl when she kept screaming the same way. That girl was extremely lucky to get that one on one attention from the great Caballé, let alone to be in her very presence!

[stevenj]

Preparing with the diaphragm beFORE to go to the high note. Great advice. As a cellist I was taught the same thing about very large shifts. Prepare your left arm/hand up to the new higher position placement just before you shift upwards. It makes a huge difference and shifts are so much easier that way also so much more reliable than trying to move everything at the same time

[patriciaharman]

Monserrat sings from inside and is such a beautiful talent. I totally understand why Freddie loved her. I would love to visit with her and be her friend, she is such a lovely person.

[HelenJoannides]

Incredible, how her voice changes every time she begin to sopport!
I adore these masterclass videos on youtube. Thank you very much.

[fulvioarborio]

When you have this big resonance like this young girl, you tend to relay on that rather than support. In my opinion it'd have been better to start from the first low note and try to make her feel what support is by singing very small intervals. Screaming high notes is very instinctual and opera is obsessed by high notes, but singing is a legato line and it seems to be forgot nowadays

[edithhenson]

More than the fact that these students lucky to be in a class instructed by the best opera singer in the world, they were lucky to have been in her presence! What anybody would give for that!!!

[suzanertlmeier]

Learned of Miss Caballe because I am a Freddie Mercury fan. She is pure gold. To me, the young girl sounds awesome. Can you image how she will sound when she gets it right! 👍⚘⚘

[Shamsithaca]

If I was there, she would have hit me with that thing she slammed on the desk. thats a sign of a good teacher who wants the best from her students.

[CountertenorJ]

Well, "singing from the diaphragm" doesn't actually happen. It's an autonomic muscle. What she is trying to get her to do is keep her airflow stable, preemptive and constant. When that airflow is moving correctly and properly supposed (using the muscles she keeps pointing to), it will remove tension from the neck and larynx. The support precedes the breath with precedes the sound.

[MiguelArcangel-zixd]

Que mujer tan maravillosa… que carrera tan brillante que ha hecho, que suerte que la hemos conocido!!!!
voz espectacular!!! y además culta, hablaba perfectamente en inglés, francés, italiano, portugués, alemán, español, y por su puesto catalán. Ella cantó más de 80 óperas, ninguna como ella. La base de su éxito fue el dominio perfecto de la respiración.

[LordMgls]

I don't know the first thing about singing but I have developed a good ear and I completely understand what Mrs Caballe is talking about. It is good to acknowledge this is lack of technique and not my imagination saying someone is not singing well.

[dulistanheman]

I herd so much improvement after hands on. That's a great teacher that have so much patient.

[silverkitty]

she really cared about opera...i adore her ...

[larissalora]

Her Majesty Primadonna Montserrat Caballè giving Master Class !!!
What a lucky student!