María de Montserrat Bibiana Concepción Caballé i Folch or Folc, known simply as Montserrat Caballé, was a Spanish operatic soprano from Catalonia. Widely considered to be one of the best sopranos of the 20th century, she won a variety of musical awards thoroughout her six-decade career, including three Grammy Awards.
She performed a wide variety of roles, but is best known as an exponent of the works of Verdi and of the bel canto repertoire, notably the works of Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti. She was noticed internationally when she stepped in for a performance of Donizetti's Lucrezia Borgia at Carnegie Hall in 1965, and then appeared at leading opera houses. Her voice was described as pure but powerful, with superb control of vocal shadings and exquisite pianissimo.
Caballé is also known for her 1987 duet with Freddie Mercury, "Barcelona", recorded at the request of the International Olympic Committee for the 1992 Olympic Games. The two felt mutual admiration for each other and developed a close friendship.