Victoria de los Angeles is arguably the greatest soprano from Spain in the history of opera.

Born on Nov. 1, 1923, the soprano studied voice and guitar at the Barcelona Conservatory, graduating at the age of 18.

She actually gave her operatic debut at the Liceu in Barcelona in 1941, when she was still a student. Her formal professional debut at the Liceu came in 1945, this time in “Le Nozze di Figaro.”

She won the first prize in the Geneva International Music Competition in 1947 and embarked on an international career that took her to Paris in 1949, Salzburg and the Royal Opera House in 1950 and Carnegie Hall that same year. A Metropolitan Opera debut came in 1952 and the soprano would then appear for the first time in Buenos Aires and then La Scala; all of them before she had turned 30 years of age.

In 1957, she performed for the first time at the Vienna State Opera. She also made a Bayreuth Debut in 1961.

In 1994, she was named Chevalier de la Légion by the government of France.

Signature Roles

De Los Angeles was perhaps best known for her interpretations of “La Bohème” and “Madama Butterfly,” her two recordings of the opera with tenor Jussi Björling often noted as some of the best. In the case of the “Bohème” recording, many claim that it is the very best there has ever been.

She was also a champion of “La Vida Breve” throughout her career, performing and recording the work extensively.

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4 Rare Recordings

Watch and Listen

Here is a hit album that features the soprano in some of her famed interpretations.

And here are some Catalan songs.

And here is an excerpt from her most famous recording, Puccini’s “La Bohème.”