Person    | Female  Born 19/5/1861  Died 23/2/1931

Dame Nellie Melba

Categories: Music / songs

Countries: Australia

Operatic soprano. Born Helen "Nellie" Porter Mitchell in Melbourne, Australia. 1882 briefly married Charles Armstrong and had one son, but soon separated. She took up a singing career and came to Europe. London initially failed to appreciate her but after success in Paris and Brussels she returned to London and eventually, in 1889, had a big success at the Covent Garden Opera House. She took the name 'Melba' after her home town. She went on to success across Europe, North America, Australia and New Zealand. Her last performance was in London at a charity concert on 10 June 1930. She returned to Australia and died in hospital in Sydney.

The French chef Escoffier created 4 dishes in her honour: Peach Melba, Melba sauce, Melba toast, and the little-known Melba Garniture. Melba made a number of recordings, here's one.

Comments are provided by Facebook, please ensure you are signed in here to see them

This section lists the memorials where the subject on this page is commemorated:
Dame Nellie Melba

Commemorated ati

Marconi - WC2

Marconi House Within this building Marconi's Wireless Telegraph Company Limi...

Read More

Other Subjects

Anne Shelton

Anne Shelton

Singer. Born Patricia Jacqueline Sibley at 39 Coleman Road, Camberwell. She was singing on the radio at the age of twelve and had a recording contract when she was fifteen. Achieved huge fame in WW...

Person, Music / songs, TV & Radio

1 memorial
Marquee Club

Marquee Club

First opened on 19 April 1958 at 165 Oxford Street and then in 1964 moved to 90 Wardour Street, where it stayed until 1988. It was at 105-107 Charing Cross Road (a former cinema) from August 1988 -...

Place, Community / Clubs, Music / songs

2 memorials
Sir Malcolm Sargent

Sir Malcolm Sargent

Conductor, nick-named "Flash Harry" in recognition of his dapper appearance and flamboyant style.

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial
Bag o' Nails Club

Bag o' Nails Club

Established in the 1930’s.  From their own website: A well-known basement music hangout of the 1930's.  Featured in Anthony Powell's novel 'A Dance to the Music of Time".  WW2 the club was used as ...

Place, Community / Clubs, Food & Drink, Music / songs

2 memorials
Nick Mason

Nick Mason

Musician and composer. Drummer with Pink Floyd and the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965.

Person, Music / songs

1 memorial

Previously viewed

Robert Mylne

Robert Mylne

Architect. Born Edinburgh. Returned from a Grand Tour to London in 1759. Won the competition to build Blackfriars Bridge, including the approach roads from the north and the south, each with a squa...

Person, Architecture, Engineering, Scotland

1 memorial
Kelso Cochrane

Kelso Cochrane

Came to London in 1958, lived in Notting Hill and worked as a carpenter.  Murdered by a group of white youths.  The race riots the previous year, the increase in racist activities by Fascist groups...

Person, Race Issues, Tragedy, Antigua

1 memorial
J. A. Archer, Esq.

J. A. Archer, Esq.

One of the managers of the 1873-75 changes at Aske’s Hospital.

Person, Politics & Administration

1 memorial
Sidney Alfred Bunker
War dead, WW1
1 memorial