Dame Nellie MelbaGBE (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931) was an Australian operatic lyric coloratura soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early 20th century, and was the first Australian to achieve international recognition as a classical musician. She took the pseudonym "Melba" from Melbourne, her home town.
Melba studied singing in Melbourne and made a modest success in performances there. After a brief and unsuccessful marriage, she moved to Europe in search of a singing career. Failing to find engagements in London in 1886, she studied in Paris and soon made a great success there and in Brussels. Returning to London she quickly established herself as the leading lyric soprano at Covent Garden from 1888. She soon achieved further success in Paris and elsewhere in Europe, and later at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, debuting there in 1893. Her repertoire was small; in her whole career she sang no more than 25 roles and was closely identified with only ten. She was known for her performances in French and Italian opera, but sang little German opera.
During the First World War, Melba raised large sums for war charities. She returned to Australia frequently during the 20th century, singing in opera and concerts, and had a house built for her near Melbourne. She was active in the teaching of singing at the Melbourne Conservatorium. Melba continued to sing until the last months of her life and made a large number of "farewell" appearances. Her death, in Australia, was news across the English-speaking world, and her funeral was a major national event. The Australian $100 note features her image.
Dame NellieMelba GBE (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931) was an Australian operatic lyric coloratura soprano. She became one...
Hotel, London, to honour the Australian soprano NellieMelba. In 1892, operatic soprano NellieMelba was performing in Wagner's opera Lohengrin at Covent...
or topped with either melted cheese or pâté. It is named after Dame NellieMelba, the stage name of Australian opera singer Helen Porter Mitchell. Its...
of 1920. He also comes to Downton Abbey for dinner later that year. NellieMelba (Kiri Te Kanawa) gives an operatic performance at the Abbey in 1922,...
up melba in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. Melba may refer to: Dame NellieMelba (1861–1931), Australian soprano opera singer and subject of: Melba (radio...
in the TV series Offspring and as Dame NellieMelba in the television series Melba. A shortened version of Melba was selected for screening as a film at...
Silvio. Soon after its Italian premiere, the opera played in London (with NellieMelba as Nedda) and in New York (on 15 June 1893, with Agostino Montegriffo...
Dame NellieMelba Scholarship may refer to any of several prizes awarded by the great soprano or in her name. In 1911 Melba donated a scholarship of £30...
often performed in corroborees. At the beginning of the 20th century, NellieMelba was one of the world's leading opera singers, and later popular music...
Adelina Patti in 1906 Se saran rose recorded by NellieMelba in 1910 Se saran rose recorded by NellieMelba in 1907 Problems playing these files? See media...
Savoy. In 1893, he invented the pêche Melba in honour of the Australian singer NellieMelba, and in 1897, Melba toast. Other Escoffier creations were...
NellieMelba and Amy Sherwin, the pianist Ignacy Jan Paderewski, and the violinist Pablo de Sarasate. Later in his career he became NellieMelba's manager...
Australian soprano NellieMelba, partnered him as Gilda. They would sing together often during the early 1900s. In her memoirs, Melba praised Caruso's voice...
limited time in 1992, at the height of Jordan's career. Peach Melba – Dame NellieMelba (1861–1931). Chef Auguste Escoffier at the Savoy Hotel in 1892...
A Toast to Melba is a 1976 Australian play by Jack Hibberd. A biography of Dame NellieMelba, Hibberd described it as: Another 'Popular Play' like The...
embarrassed. Figaro leaves. "Voi che sapete cosa è amor" Performed in 1910 by NellieMelba (3:24) Cherubino arrives, sent in by Figaro. Susanna urges him to sing...
regularly completed of and for Dame NellieMelba, in 1903, Whiting had completed two further miniature of Melba, who was regarded as a close friend A...
following persons: The $100 note features world-renowned soprano Dame NellieMelba (1861–1931), and the distinguished soldier, engineer and administrator...
arrived in 1861 aboard the John Masterman. Mylott became a protégé of Dame NellieMelba and in 1902, she went to England with her to pursue an opera career outside...
scheduled British radio concert, by the famed Australian opera diva NellieMelba. This transmission was heard throughout much of Europe, including in...
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