Melba, Dame Nellie

Melba, Dame Nellie
orig. Helen Porter Mitchell

born May 19, 1861, Richmond, near Melbourne, Austl.
died Feb. 23, 1931, Sydney

Australian soprano.

After study with Mathilde Marchesi (1821–1913) in Paris, she debuted in Brussels in Rigoletto (1887), and in the next six years she sang in all the major opera houses of the world. One of the most celebrated coloraturas in the years preceding World War I, she sang mostly at Covent Garden after 1902. Concentrating on a few Italian and French operas, she possessed abundant technique and vocal beauty. Two foods, Melba toast and peach Melba, were named for her.

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▪ Australian singer
original name  Helen Armstrong , née  Mitchell 
born May 19, 1861, Richmond, near Melbourne, Australia
died Feb. 23, 1931, Sydney
 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. She appeared in Sydney in 1885 and in London in 1886 and then studied in Paris. She made her operatic debut as Gilda in Verdi's Rigoletto in 1887 at Brussels under the name Melba, derived from that of the city of Melbourne. Until 1926 she sang in the principal opera houses of Europe and the United States, particularly Covent Garden and the Metropolitan Opera, excelling in Delibes' Lakmé, as Marguerite in Gounod's Faust, and as Violetta in Verdi's La traviata. Her marriage was dissolved in 1900. She was created a Dame of the British Empire in 1918. In 1925 she published Melodies and Memories. She returned in 1926 to Australia, where she became president of the Melbourne Conservatorium. Melba toast and peach Melba were named for her.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Melba,Dame Nellie — Mel·ba (mĕlʹbə), Dame Nellie. Originally Helen Porter Mitchell. 1861 1931. Australian soprano primarily with London s Covent Garden (1889 1926) and the Metropolitan Opera in New York City (1893 1911). * * * …   Universalium

  • Melba, Dame Nellie — orig. Helen Porter Mitchell (19 may. 1861, Richmond, cerca de Melbourne, Australia–23 feb. 1931, Sydney). Soprano australiana. Después de estudiar con Mathilde Marchesi (n. 1821–m. 1913) en París, debutó en Bruselas en Rigoletto (1887), y en los… …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • MELBA, Dame Nellie — See ARMSTRONG, Helen Porter …   Dictionary of Australian Biography

  • Dame Nellie Melba — noun Australian operatic soprano (1861 1931) • Syn: ↑Melba, ↑Helen Porter Mitchell • Instance Hypernyms: ↑coloratura, ↑coloratura soprano …   Useful english dictionary

  • Melba toast — n. [after MELBA Dame Nellie] [also m t ] bread sliced very thin and toasted until brown and crisp …   English World dictionary

  • Nellie Melba — Portrait of Melba by Henry Walter Barnett Dame Nellie Melba GBE (19 May 1861 – 23 February 1931), born Helen Nellie Porter Mitchell, was an Australian operatic soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian Era and… …   Wikipedia

  • Nellie — /nel ee/, n. 1. a female given name, form of Helen. 2. (l.c.) Slang. a fussily effeminate male. 3. Slang (disparaging and offensive). a male homosexual. Also, Nelly. * * * (as used in expressions) Bly Nellie McClung Nellie Nellie Mooney Melba… …   Universalium

  • Nellie — (as used in expressions) Bly, Nellie McClung, Nellie Nellie Mooney Melba, Dame Nellie …   Enciclopedia Universal

  • dame — /daym/, n. 1. (cap.) (in Britain) a. the official title of a female member of the Order of the British Empire, equivalent to that of a knight. b. the official title of the wife of a knight or baronet. 2. (formerly) a form of address to any woman… …   Universalium

  • Dame — (as used in expressions) Andrews, Dame Julie Ashcroft, Dame Peggy Christie, Dame Agatha (Mary Clarissa) Compton Burnett, Dame Ivy Cooper, Dame Gladys De Valois, Dame Ninette Dench, Dame Judi(th Olivia) Evans, Dame Edith (Mary) Fields, Dame Gracie …   Enciclopedia Universal

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