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Dame Nellie Melba GBE (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.
May 15, 2024 · Dame Nellie Melba was an Australian coloratura soprano, a singer of great popularity. She sang at Richmond (Australia) Public Hall at the age of six and was a skilled pianist and organist, but she did not study singing until after her marriage to Charles Nesbitt Armstrong in 1882.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Dame Nellie Melba (1861-1931), prima donna, was born Helen Porter Mitchell on 19 May 1861 at Richmond, Melbourne, eldest surviving of ten children of David Mitchell, building contractor, and his wife Isabella Ann, née Dow.
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- She avidly pursued the perfect portrait. Melba was aware of the relationship between image and celebrity, and pursued the “perfect” portrait for years.
- She was shrewd with money. A clever business woman, who always controlled her own interests, Melba only engaged managers for short periods of time in foreign markets.
- Her OBE was not for her singing. Melba lost five relatives at Gallipoli, and in 1915 she single-handedly spearheaded a charitable endeavour in the form of Melba’s Gift Book of Australian Art in support of Belgian war relief efforts.
- She was a gossip magazine staple. Celebrity needs both fame and commodity, and Melba ensured her renown reached far beyond the concert hall. Even Australians who could have never heard her sing because they lived in regional areas were avid consumers of her as a product.
Nellie was a contradiction, a young woman who was happy in her own company and yet someone who needed affirmation. She was stung by criticism but ultimately used it as a driving force to succeed.
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May 19, 2020 · During the early twentieth century, Australian soprano Nellie Melba was one of the most in-demand singers in the world. Born May 19, 1861 as the eldest of seven children, Helen Porter Mitchell eventually adopted the name “Melba” in honor of her hometown, Melbourne.
Biography | Melba's Early Years The Australian woman whose enormous talent saw her conquer the opera houses of the world showed her talent early but she had many obstacles to overcome along the way.
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