Is a UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador in her
semi-retirement (November 2005)
(October 17, 2012) Suffered a stroke in Yekaterinburg (Sverdlovskaya oblast, Russia), where she planned to hold a concert on October 19, 2012.
Her operatic repertoire included more than 100 roles. She excelled in bel canto; the title part in Donizetti's "Lucrezia Borgia" propelled her to international stardom. She also shone in Verdi roles, zarzuelas, and lieder. Her favorite role was Strauss' Salome.
She was named for Our Lady of Montserrat, the patron saint of Catalonia.