Montserrat Caballé & José Carreras

by José Carreras / Montserrat Caballé

A mere three weeks after his much-acclaimed return to operatic and concert performance at the Salzburg Festival in August 1989, José Carreras appeared in another important musical event – a joint concert with his Spanish compatriot, singer Montserrat Caballé, held in Moscow's famous Bolshoi Theatre.

The concert opens with a medley of baroque and belcanto gems from the 17th and 18th centuries, including a rendition by José Carreras of arie antiche by Alessandro Scarlatti.

Italian and Spanish songs form a central element in the programme for this concert, including three canzoni by Francesco Paolo Tosti and one by Salvatore Cardillo, favourites from Carreras' concert repertoire. These popular Italian songs are matched by several Spanish canciones popolares, sung by Montserrat Caballé.

Last but not least, opera is of course represented - even though it is a genre that is not central to this particular programme - by 'Brindisi', Violetta and Alfred's champagne-fuelled drinking song from Act I of Verdi's La Traviata, and Lauretta's enchanting aria from Puccini's one-act opera Gianni Schicchi.