Freddie Mercury is considered one of the most talented performers and music icons of his time, and possibly of all time. As the front man to the band Queen, he thrilled audiences with his powerful vocals and larger-than-life stage presence. He may be best remembered for his work with the band, but Freddie’s passion for music went well beyond his career with Queen.
Though he sang and performed rock music, he enjoyed, studied, and sang many different kinds of music. That’s probably what influenced his unique style and made him so prolific — he was more than just the singer and frontman of a rock band. Freddie was a very talented musician.
One of his musical passions happened to be opera. He was absolutely thrilled when he was approached with the opportunity to collaborate with Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caballé.
The two recorded the song “Barcelona,” which also became the theme song for the 1992 Summer Olympics held in Barcelona, Montserrat’s hometown. The duo went on to record an album together by the same name. It was released in 1988, and the crossover album featured the song “How Can I Go On”, which is arguably one of the greatest achievements of Freddie’s solo career.
It’s easy to think of the star singer’s career in terms of his time with Queen, but in this single performance, he shows that he was a true musical genius, capable of taking on the most challenging of songs. It is not just his flawless vocals that stand out, but his stage presence and unmistakable passion and emotion that he brings to every note of the song.
According to Monserrat, before Freddie passed away in 1991, the two had planned to make more music together. She said they spoke of recording “Phantom of the Opera.”
“We talked about doing something together, more classical. We also talked about recording Phantom of the Opera, which he loved very much,” she said.
“It’s a moving thing — I knew he was in bed and very weak, and I wanted to surprise him by recording ‘Phantom,'” Montserrat said about her dear friend, according to the Guardian. “I phoned him and put the speaker near the phone and played it. He was very happy. He said, ‘Thank you, Montsy, I wanted very much to hear it.’ And that was my last time I talked to him.”
Watch the stunning performance of “How Can I Go On” in the video below and please like and share with all the Freddie fans you know!
