Description

DAME NELLIE MELBA, ORIGINAL NAME HELEN ARMSTRONG, NÉE HELEN MITCHELL, (BORN MAY 19, 1861, RICHMOND, NEAR MELBOURNE, AUSTL. — DIED FEB. 23, 1931, SYDNEY)

 

 

 

 

Her real name was Helen Porter Mitchell, and she adopted the stage name Melba in honor of her hometown, Melbourne. Her Scottish heritage traced back to her father, David Mitchell, who emigrated to Australia in 1852. Helen first performed in public at the age of six, singing Scottish ballads. She received her initial vocal training from Mme Ellen Christians.

In 1882, at a very young age, she married Captain Charles Porter Armstrong, who owned a sugar cane farm in North Queensland. The marriage produced a son, but Helen separated from her husband in 1883. Determined to pursue a singing career, she studied under Italian educator Pietro Cecchi in Melbourne.

Her breakthrough came in 1885 when she sang the soprano solo in Handel’s Messiah in Sydney. In 1886, she moved to Europe for further training, initially facing setbacks such as an unsuccessful concert in London. However, she found success after becoming a student of the renowned pedagogue Mathilde Marchesi de Castrone in Paris. Marchesi famously praised her talent with the remark, “Salvatore, enfin j’ai trouvé une étoile!”

Melba made her European debut at the Brussels Opera in 1887 as Gilda in Rigoletto, where she received sensational acclaim. This success led to further triumphs, including her performance as Lucia di Lammermoor at Covent Garden in London in 1888. Her role as Juliette in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette in 1889 established her as the prima donna assoluta at Covent Garden, a title she held for 40 years.

She also made notable appearances at the Grand Opéra Paris, the Opéra-Comique, and in St. Petersburg, where she received a diamond necklace from Tsar Alexander III. Her debut at La Scala in Milan came in 1893 as Lucia di Lammermoor.

At the Metropolitan Opera in New York, where she debuted as Lucia di Lammermoor in 1893, she performed in various roles including Nedda in the premiere of Leoncavallo’s Pagliacci. Her global career included triumphant tours in Australia in 1902, 1909, 1911, and 1924, as well as a farewell tour in 1924.

During World War I, she lived at her estate Lilydale near Melbourne, giving charity concerts and teaching at the Albert Street Conservatory. She was known for commanding high fees, reflecting her prominent status.

Melba retired from Covent Garden in 1926 but continued to influence the music world, including a final tour of Australia in 1928. She was honored as a Dame of the British Empire in 1918 and became president of the Melbourne Conservatory in 1926. She passed away in 1931 after falling ill on a ship returning to Australia.

Melba’s life was immortalized in a 1953 film with Patrice Munsel portraying her. The renowned chef Auguste Escoffier named a peach dessert “Pêche Melba” and a toast “Toast Melba” in her honor. Her memoirs, Melodies and Memories, were published in 1925.

 

 

TRACKLIST

 

 

Mapleson cylinders, New York 1901-1903

Cid 19 January 1901 O noble lame with Bréval, J. de Reszke, Sizés, Plançon and E. de Reszke

Cid 16 January 1901 Alleluia

Cid 16 January 1901 Alleluia IRCC

Faust 28 March 1901 Jewel Song

Faust 28 March 1901 Jewel Song IRCC

Faust 4 March 1901 Act V Trio with Saléza and E. de Reszke

Faust 28 March 1901 Act V Trio with Saléza and Plançon

Faust 28 March 1901 Act V Trio with Saléza and Plançon IRCC

Lucia 2 March 1901 Verrano a te with Saléza

Lucia 18 March 1901 Mad Scene

Lucia 18 March 1901 Mad Scene IRCC

Lucia 2 March 1901 Mad Scene

Roméo 9 March 1901 Waltz

Traviata 16 March 1901 Un di felice with Dippel

Traviata 16 March 1901 Un di felice with Dippel IRCC

 

G&T, London 1904-1906

Auld lang syne (trad) (w. Roberts, Pike & Dawson) 3615 7201½b G&T, London 1905-09-04

Ave Maria (Gounod) (vln Kubelik) 03033 401c G&T, London 1904-10-20

Ave Maria (Gounod) 03069 689c G&T, London 1906-07-11

Away on a hill there runs a stream (Ronald) (pf Ronald) 3619 7205b G&T, London 1905-09-04

Bohème (Puccini) Addio 03030 28-1 G&T, London 1904-03

Bohème (Puccini) Addio 03037 406c G&T, London 1904-10-20

Bohème (Puccini) Racconto di Mimì 03071 692c G&T, London 1906-07-11

Chant Hindou (Bemberg) (pf Bemberg) 03036 405c G&T, London 1904-10-20

Chant Venetien (Bemberg) (pf Bemberg) 3575 6150b G&T, London 1904-10-20

Come back to Erin (Claribel) 3616 7202½b G&T, London 1905-09-04

Comin’ thro’ the rye (trad) 03018 7 G&T, London 1904-03

Elaine (Bemberg) L’amour est pur (w. female chorus, pf Bemberg) unpubl 690c G&T, London 1906-07-11

Elaine (Bemberg) L’amour est pur (w. female chorus, pf Bemberg) unpubl, 690c G&T, London 1906-07-11

Faust (Gounod) Jewel song 03048 522c G&T, London 1905-09-05

God save the King (trad) (w. Band of Coldstream Guards) 3625 7200b G&T, London 1905-09-04

Goodbye (Tosti) (three verses) 03050 524c G&T, London 1905-09-05

Goodbye (Tosti) (two verses) 03022 16-3 G&T, London 1904-03

Goodnight (Scott-Gatty) (w. Roberts, Pike & Dawson) 3618 7204b G&T, London 1905-09-04

Hamlet (Thomas) Mad scene, pt 1 and pt 2 (w. orch) 03023 03024 20 21 G&T, London 1904-03

Home sweet home (Bishop) (pf Melba) 03049 523c G&T, London 1905-09-05

Il Penseroso  (Händel) Thee, Chauntress, Oft The Woods Among I Woo 03021 15-1 G&T, London 1904-03

Il Pensieroso (Händel) Sweet bird That Shunn’st The Noise Of Folly Unpubl. G&T, London 1904-03

La Serenata (Tosti) 03034 402c G&T, London 1904-10-20

Les anges pleurent (Bemberg) (pf Bemberg) 3576 6151b G&T, London 1904-10-20

Les anges pleurent (Bemberg) (pf Bemberg) 3576 6151b G&T, London 1904-10-20

Lo, here the gentle lark (Bishop) 03047 521c G&T, London 1905-09-05

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Mad scene 03020 12 G&T, London 1904-03

Mattinata (Tosti) 03015 1 G&T, London 1904-03

Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Porgi amor 03028 26-1 G&T, London 1904-03

Nymphes et sylvains (Bemberg) 03016 2 G&T, London 1904-03

Old folks at home (Foster) (w. Roberts, Pike & Dawson) 3617 7203b G&T, London 1905-09-04

Pastorale (Bizet) 03070 691c G&T, London 1906-07-11

Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome 03025 22-3 G&T, London 1904-03

Roi d’Ys (Lalo) Aubade 03072 693c G&T, London 1906-07-11

Roméo et Juliette (Gounod) Valse 03035 404c G&T, London 1904-10-20

Se saran rose (Arditi) 03019 9 G&T, London 1904-03

Si mes vers (Hahn) 03029 27-1 G&T, London 1904-03

Sur le lac (Bemberg) (pf Bemberg) 03046 520c G&T, London 1905-09-05

Three green bonnets (d’Hardelot) 03027 25-3 G&T, London 1904-03

Traviata (Verdi) Ah fors’è lui… Sempre libera 03017 6 G&T, London 1904-03

Traviata (Verdi) Follie!… Sempre libera 03017 6 G&T, London 1904-03

Traviata (Verdi) Sempre libera 03026 23-2 G&T, London 1904-03

 

HMV, London 1910-1926

Annie Laurie (Lady Scott arr Liza Lehmann) unpubl Bb150-1 HMV, London 1921-05-12

Arminio (Lotti) Pur dicesti HMB100 4214f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (vln Kubelik) 03333 z7323f HMV, London 1913-05-06

Away on the hill (H Simpson) unpubl Cc148-1 HMV, London 1921-05-12

12. b) Down in the forest (L Ronald) unpubl Cc148-1 HMV, London 1921-05-12

Bid me discourse (Bishop) 03188 4193f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Bohème (Puccini) On m’appelle Mimì 033062 602i HMV, Paris 1908-05-09

By the waters of Minnetonka (Lieurance) 2-3568 Bb149-1 HMV, London 1921-05-12

Chanson triste (Duparc) 7-33004 y16572e HMV, London 1913-05-06

Cid (Massenet) Pleurez mes yeux 2-033020 4208f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Don Cézar de Bazan (Massenet) Sevillana HMB100 4184f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Don Cézar de Bazan (Massenet) Sevillana unpubl (LP RLS719) 4206f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Don Cézar de Bazan (Massenet) Sevillana unpubl (LP RLS719) 4208f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Faust (Gounod) All’erta! (w. McCormack & Sammarco) 32-3040 4190f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Faust (Gounod) All’erta! (w. McCormack & Sammarco) unpubl (LPSH399 RLS719) 4188f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Hamlet (Thomas) Mad scene, distance test HMB36 4195f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Home sweet home (Bishop) 03049x Cc151-1 HMV, London 1921-05-12

Il Re Pastore (Mozart) L’amerò saro costante (vln Kubelik) 2-053083 z7322f HMV, London 1913-05-06

Jean (Burleigh) (Kelly 1910-04-30, EMI 1910-05-11) HMA44 11689e HMV, London 1910-05-11

Le temps des lilas (Chausson) 2-033037 z7325f HMV, London 1913-05-06

Lohengrin (Wagner) Sola nei miei prim’anni 2-053019 4185f HMV, London 1910-05-11

O for the wings of a dove (Mendelssohn) 03199 4212f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Rigoletto (Verdi) Bella figlia dell’amore (w. Thornton, McCormack & Sammarco) 2-054025 4189f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Sadko (Rimsky-Korsakov) Chanson hindoue 03759 Cc147-2 HMV, London 1921-05-12

Soir païen (Hué) unpubl (LP RLS719) 4209f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Sounds of earth (Ronald) HMB147 4194f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Spring (Henschel) 03328 4213f HMV, London 1910-05-19

Tosca (Puccini) Vissi d’arte 2-053020 4183f HMV, London 1910-05-11

Tosca (Puccini) Vissi d’arte unpubl (LP RLS719) 4186f HMV, London 1910-05-11

 

Victor, Camden NJ 1907-1916

Annie Laurie (Lady Scott arr Liza Lehmann) (w. orch) 88551 C17001 Victor, Camden NJ 1916-01-12

Ave Maria (Bach-Gounod) (vln Kubelik) 89073 C13897 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-02

Believe me if all those endearing young charms (trad) 88156 C6701 Victor, New York 1909-01-01

Bohème (Puccini) Donde lieta usci (Addio) 053210 C4341-2 Victor, New York 1909-01-06

Bohème (Puccini) Donde lieta usci (Addio) 88072 C4341 Victor, 1907-03-27

Bohème (Puccini) O soave fanciulla (w. Caruso) 95200 C4326 Victor, 1907-03-24

Bohème (Puccini) Sì, mi chiamano Mimì 88074 C4281 Victor, 1910-08-22

By the brook (Wetzger) (piano solo by Melba) 70023 C9375 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-11-07

Comin’ thro’ the rye (trad) 88449 C13907 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-04

Don César de Bazan (Massenet) Sevillana 88252 C9370 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-24

Down in the forest (Ronald) 03130 C6698-1 Victor, New York 1909-01-01

D’une prison (Hahn) 88151 C6700 Victor, New York 1909-01-01

Faust (Gounod) Ah! Je ris de me voir si belle 88066 C4338 Victor, 1910-08-22

Fêtes galantes (Debussy) En sourdine 033076 C6697-1 Victor, New York 1909-01-01

Goodbye (Tosti) 88065 C4340 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-26

Hamlet (Thomas) A vos jeux, mes amis (Mad scene) 88251 C9371-1 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-25

Hamlet (Thomas) A vos jeux, mes amis…Un doux serment 88069 C4354 Victor, 1907-03-29

Hamlet (Thomas) Pâle et blonde 88070 C4355 Victor, 1907-03-29

Il Pensieroso (Händel) Sweet bird 88068 C4358 Victor, 1907-03-30

Il Re Pastore (Mozart) L’amerò, sarò costante (vln Kubelik) 89074 C13896 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-02

John Anderson, my Jo (White) 88455 C13905 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-03

Les anges pleurent (Bemberg); Chant Vénitien (Bemberg) 88457 C13908-1 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-04

Lo! Here the gentle Lark (Bishop) 88073 C4350 Victor, 1907-03-28

Louise (Charpentier) Depuis le jour (w. orch) 88477 C13900 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-03

Lucia di Lammermoor (Donizetti) Alfin son tua (Mad scene) 88071 C4349 Victor, 1907-03-30

Magdalen at Michael’s gate (Lehmann) 88452 C13898 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-02

Mattinata (Tosti) (pf Melba) 88077 C4360 Victor, 1907-03-30

Nozze di Figaro (Mozart) Voi che sapete 88067 C4353 Victor, 1907-03-29

O lovely night (Ronald) 88157 C6706 Victor, New York 1909-01-06

O lovely night (Ronald) 88182 C6706-2 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-26

Old folks at home (Foster) 88454 C13904 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-03

Otello (Verdi) Ave Maria 88149 C6705 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-25

Otello (Verdi) Salce, salce 88148 C6704 Victor, New York 1909-01-06

Per valli, per boschi (Blangini) (w. Gilibert) 89011 C4347 Victor, 1907-03-28

Rigoletto (Verdi) Caro nome 88078 C4283 Victor, 1907-03-05

Roi d’Ys (Lalo) Vainement ma bien-aimée (Aubade) 88250 C9372 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-25

Romance (Mandoline) (Debussy) 88456 C13899 Victor, Camden NJ 1913-10-03

Se saran rose (Melba waltz) (Arditi) 88076 C4356 Victor, 1907-03-29

Serenata (Tosti) 88079 C4342 Victor, 1907-03-27

Si mes vers avaient des ailes (Hahn) 88080 C4352 Victor, 1907-03-29

Songs my mother taught me (Dvořák) (w. orch) 88485 C17002-2 Victor, Camden NJ 1916-01-12

Songs my mother taught me (Dvořák) (w. piano) 88553 C17004-1 Victor, Camden NJ 1916-01-12

The white sea mist (Ronald) 03134 C6699 Victor, New York 1909-01-01

Tosca (Puccini) Vissi d’arte 88075 C4282 Victor, Camden NJ 1910-08-25

Traviata (Verdi) Ah! fors’è lui… Sempre libera 88064 C4339 Victor, 1907-03-27

Un ange est venu (Bemberg) (w. Gilibert) 89012 C4348 Victor, 1907-03-28

Ye banks and braes o’ bonnie Doon (trad) 88150 C6707 Victor, New York 1909-01-06

 

Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London, 8 June 1926. Live recordings of Melba’s Farewell Performance, with (a) Browning Mummery, (b) John Brownlee, (c) Frederick Collier, (d) Edouard Cotreuil, (c) Aurora Rettore. Conductor was Vincenzo Bellezza.

HMV

Boheme (Puccini) Addio 2-053264 DB 493 & DB 1500 CR 412

Boheme (Puccini) Addio dolce svegliare, with (a), (b) & (c) (Puccini) – Unpublished CR 413

Boheme (Puccini) C’e Rodolfo with (b) (Puccini) – Unpublished CR 411

Boheme (Puccini) Entrata di Mimi, with (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) (Puccini) Unpublished CR 414

Boheme (Puccini) Morte di Mimi, with (a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) (Puccini) – Unpublished CR 416

Boheme (Puccini) Sono andati, with (a) (Puccini) Unpublished CR 415

Melba’s Farewell Speech (01182), DB 943 CR 421

Otello (Verdi) Ave Maria – Unpublished CR 419

Otello (Verdi) Salce, salce 2-053263 CR 417

 

Queen’s Hall (Small Hall) London, 17 December 1926

HMV

Clair de Lune Op. 83 No. 1 (Szulc) Harold Craxton (piano) 2-033145 Cc9552-2

Swing low, sweet chariot (arr. Burleigh) Harold Craxton (piano) 03894 Cc9553

Traviata (Verdi) Dite alla giovine (w. Brownlee) 2-054171 Cc9550-1

Un ange est venu (Bemberg) (w. Brownlee) 2-034041 Cc95 5 1