Barcelona Llibres

Last Tuesday 16 April, the Palau de la Música became the ideal setting for celebrating and revealing fascinating details about the life of the legendary Barcelona soprano, Victòria dels Àngels, with the presentation of the book ‘Victòria dels Àngels. Tot semblava tan senzill [Everything seemed so simple]’.

The biography written by Pep Gorgori, journalist and renowned musicologist, is based on a detailed study of the personal and professional documents of the soprano (1923-2005). The author offers an intimate look at the life of Victòria dels Àngels López García. "The title was a sentence from a letter she wrote to her father. You hear her sing and everything seemed so simple, but in reality she had a very difficult life", explained Pep Gorgori, capturing the soprano’s less complex and human side.

This biography pays tribute not only to the artistic career of the Barcelona soprano, but also to the women who lived through a time of hardship and gender discrimination. Victòria dels Àngels turned her music into an act of rebellion and a source of inspiration.

Mercedes Conde, deputy artistic director of the Palau de la Música, highlighted the book’s profound exploration, stating that "this biography is a fascinating story. With many unknown sides of Victòria dels Àngels. Helena Mora, president of the Victoria de los Ángeles Foundation, added that Pep Gorgori has captured her essence. She was a real woman".

Musical performance in honour of Victòria

The presentation ceremony was rounded off with an impressive musical performance in which the soprano Montserrat Seró and the pianist Albert Guinovart, Victòria dels Àngels’s regular repertoire player, performed works by Fauré, Guinovart himself and ‘El cant dels ocells’ [Song of the birds] by Pau Casals.

The biography has been co-published by the Barcelona City Council & FICTA Edicions.