Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, two Spanish singers developed their work in the field of experimental music and in the new vocalism. These two artists are Anna Ricci (1930-2001) and Esperanza Abad (1941). In this communication, however, we will focus on the case of the latter. Abad began her career as a zarzuela and musical theater singer and, following the advice of José Luis Ochoa de Olza, she shifted towards contemporary music. In this field he premiered numerous scores dedicated to her. She also created her own titles from improvisation, collaborated with numerous instrumental ensembles, and forged a long list of disciples as a voice pedagogue.

In a passage from the book, La mosca tras la oreja, Barber and Palacios (Fundación Autor-SGAE, 2010) compared Esperanza Abad with Cathy Berberian in this way: “As Hispanic Cathy Berberian, will become the quintessential performer of this decade [1970]”. However, these authors did not pause to list the parallels between both careers. Therefore, the objective of this research is to analyze briefly both trajectories to explain where they coincided. We can advance that the relationship with the most important composers of their respective geographical areas is one of the common elements. Both singers also shared a significant part of their respective repertoires and an interest in early vocal music. Conversely, we also find divergences between Berberian and Abad, caused mainly by the Spanish’s theatrical. Her dual specialization, as an actress and singer, allowed her to participate in some of the most important Spanish theatrical productions during the transition to democracy.