MOSCOW – Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe and her daughter, soprano Montserrat Marti, are performing Tuesday in Moscow together with Russian tenor Nikolai Baskov before 8,000 teachers at a benefit concert.

The biggest surprise, Baskov himself revealed, will be his singing a duet with Caballe of the song “Barcelona,” which the soprano from that city recorded with the late Freddie Mercury for the 1992 Olympic games there.

It will undoubtedly be, according to the daily Moskovki Komsomolets, a “great international sensation,” since it is the first time that Caballe will sing a duet of this number since the leader of the legendary British rock group Queen died in 1991.

“This concert is a gift,” Baskov said, adding that the public will be able to hear the most famous Italian songs, some arias and several operatic duets, the best known and most popular ones.

The concert being staged at the Rossia state concert hall at Luzhniki stadium will also feature the 20th Century Orchestra under the baton of Spanish conductor Jose Collado.

Montserrat Caballe, considered Baskov’s “voice mentor,” is a frequent guest in Moscow, which she visited for the first time in 1974 when she performed at the Bolshoi Theater with the company of Milan’s La Scala opera house.

“I love discovering stars for the world,” the soprano said seven years ago at a recital she and Baskov gave in the Kremlin palace that lasted three hours.

She said at the time that “now there are splendid voices among the young people of all countries,” but regretted that “many lack the willpower for the continuous work and study.” EFE