Freddie Mercury Barcelona: Montserrat Caballe

Montserrat said: “When I said to him in his London home, ‘Why don’t we record a duet for baritone and soprano?’, he said, ’No, because people would see me sing for real.’

“I suggested we sing the aria from La Traviata between the father and girl because it’s for a baritone, but he told me no, that it would seem as if he was betraying his public and his fans.”

Montserrat’s niece, who shares the same name, remembered the enormous fun and late nights rehearsing in London at Freddie’s West Kensington mansion.

She said: “We were in Freddie’s house,there were days when we were maybe there until six or seven in the morning, because after dinner they went to the piano and he played the piano and sang, and Montserrat improvised. Truly it was an incredible party.

“For Freddie, Montserrat was something out of this world. He had such love and admiration for her, he was always watching to make sure everything was perfect for her. When we arrived at the hotel, there were roses in every room, we wanted for nothing.”