Caballé's legacy to the world

The Montserrat Caballé Foundation was born after the artist's death and at the initiative of her brother, Carlos Caballé, who, along with his daughter, Montserrat Caballé, appealed to the enthusiasm and affection that opera institutions and many personalities feel for the diva and her legacy. It was established in December 2019, a year after the artist's death and fulfilling a dream she had: to help young talents through scholarships and studies taught by people connected to the soprano's artistic career and to keep alive her International Singing Competition, which had been a springboard for young talents such as Pretty Yende and the current Liceu sweetheart , Nadine Sierra. However, only two editions have been held: one at the Liceu in 2021, won by the brilliant Serena Sáenz, and another at the Real de Madrid the following year.

Barely five years later, news of the eviction of the foundation's headquarters on Barcelona's Carrer Muntaner, which also happens to be Carlos Caballé's home, hit the headlines. Unpaid rent amounts to 41,000 euros, and the eviction is expected to take effect in October. The foundation issued a statement this week claiming that "this is an administrative process that does not affect the foundation's activities or objectives." However, it is undoubtedly an unprecedented discredit for the organization that is charged with safeguarding the memory and legacy of La Superba, whose dimension transcends the history of the 20th century, comparable only to that of Maria Callas. This discredit reverberates throughout the opera circles present on the honorary boards of this foundation, namely the Liceu and the Real, and extends to the city of Barcelona, which she loved so much. “Write whatever you want, but dedicate it to my city,” he asked Freddie Mercury when he proposed a collaboration.

That the diva's foundation is threatened with eviction is a discredit to her memory.

The foundation claims to remain "committed to disseminating Montserrat Caballé's artistic and human legacy with responsibility and respect" and claims it remains in contact with the owners of the apartment building "to resolve the situation as soon as possible." The question is whether the memory of the last great singing diva can or should be sustained on such weak foundations. These foundations have little to do with whether or not they are private foundations, as others, like that of Victoria de los Ángeles, do a great job honoring the artist's memory.

As Valentí Oviedo, director general of the Liceu, recalled this week, the Montserrat Caballé Foundation is one of the initiatives that "are carried out with great love, but we need to rethink them and understand the support they require, as there must be structure and management capacity. And it's something we're all responsible for."