Nellie Melba - Infinite Women

Born: 19 May 1861, Australia
Died: 23 February 1931
Country most active: Australia
Also known as: Helen Porter Mitchell

This biography is republished from The Dictionary of Australasian Biography: Comprising notices of eminent colonists from the inauguration of responsible government down to the present time. [1855-1892] by Phillip Mennell, F.R.G.S., published by Hutchinson & Co., 25 Paternoster Square and 1892. The text was reproduced via Project Gutenberg.

Melba, Madame (Helen Porter Armstrong), the Australian prima donna, is the daughter of David Mitchell (who emigrated to Victoria from Forfarshire, and who has been a builder in a large way of business in Melbourne, besides owning a good deal of pastoral property). Her mother was Isabel A. Dow, the daughter of J. F. Dow, to whom her father was married in 1857. She was born in Melbourne (hence her stage name), and was married in 1882 to Charles Nisbett Frederick Armstrong, sixth son of Sir Archibald Armstrong, first baronet, of Gallen Priory, King’s County, Ireland, who had settled in Queensland. Mrs. Armstrong began to learn music at three years of age, and played and sang in public in Melbourne when only six. Her parents were, however, averse to her becoming a professional vocalist, and it was not until her marriage with Captain Armstrong that she was able to give free scope to what was from an early age her decided bent. In 1886 she came with her husband and parents to London, and made one or two essays at concert-singing in public with no very marked success. She was not, however, discouraged, and commenced a course of training under the well-known Parisian teacher Madame Marchési, who considered her voice so good that she undertook that Mrs. Armstrong should be ready for the stage in eighteen months. This promise was more than fulfilled for exactly twelve months after her first lesson Madame Melba appeared as “Gilda” at the Brussels Opera. Later on she was engaged for the Grand Opera, Paris, where she appeared with M. Lassalle, the famous baritone, in Hamlet. Her Ophelia was warmly praised by the press, and a brilliant career was predicted for her. Whilst studying with Madame Marchési she learnt the leading rôles of ten operas in ten months, said by her teacher to be an almost unheard-of achievement. Operatic deportment was studied by Madame Melba under M. Plaque. Her fame had by this time spread to England, and she was engaged in 1888 by Sir Augustus Harris to appear at Covent Garden in the opera of Lucia di Lammermoor. The performance was cautiously praised by the critics, who were more enthusiastic when she sang with M. Jean de Reszké in Gounod’s Romeo et Juliette. Amongst the rôles which she played during this and succeeding seasons at Covent Garden were Lucia, Lakné, Elsa, Marguerite, and Esmeralda. Madame Melba had the advantage of being personally instructed by M. Gounod in the interpretation of his music, especially in the rôles of Juliette and Marguerite. In Jan. 1891 she sang at St. Petersburg, with the brothers De Reszké, by special command of the Czar of Russia, and played a successful round of parts in the principal European capitals. In 1892 she again appeared at Covent Garden, and she has been engaged with the brothers De Reszké for a grand tour of the United States in the “Exhibition year” (1893). It has for some time past been Madame Melba’s intention to revisit Australia, in order to give her compatriots an opportunity of forming a judgment on her natural powers as a public singer, but up to date she has found it impossible to secure leisure for so prolonged a tour.

The following is excerpted from The Dictionary of Australian Biography by Percival Searle, published in 1949 by Angus and Robertson and republished by Project Gutenberg.

ARMSTRONG, HELEN PORTER (Dame Nellie MELBA), (1861-1931), soprano singer, was born at Burnley-street, Richmond, a suburb of Melbourne, on 19 May 1861. She was the third child of David Mitchell, a well-known and successful Melbourne contractor, and his wife Isabella Ann Dow. Both parents were musical, her father having a good bass voice; her mother played the piano, harp and organ skilfully. Two of her mother’s sisters had voices of unusual beauty. The child lived in a musical atmosphere, and at six years of age sang at a school concert. Her first singing lessons came from an aunt, but afterwards she was sent to the Presbyterian Ladies’ College, Melbourne, where she received some lessons from Madame Christian, a good teacher of the period; but more of her time was given to the piano and organ. She was full of health and spirits, which not infrequently led her into trouble with her teachers; there is a tradition that there was some feeling of relief when she left the school. In 1881 her mother died and in the following year she paid a visit to Queensland, where she met Charles Nisbett Frederick Armstrong, youngest son of Sir Archibald Armstrong, Bart. They were married at Brisbane on 22 December 1882. In the following year a son was born to her, and when the child was two months old she went back to her father’s house and never returned to her husband. She had received some training in singing from Signor Pietro Cecchi, a retired Italian singer, but her special talent was considered to be her piano playing. However, having sung and played one evening at government house, the Marchioness of Normanby, wife of the governor of the period, told her that although she played brilliantly, she sang better and that if she gave up the piano for singing she would become famous. Mrs Armstrong resumed her lessons from Cecchi, and on 17 May 1884, singing as an amateur at a concert given at Melbourne for the benefit of Herr Elsasser, a local musician, she was received with great enthusiasm.
During the next two years she made many appearances at concerts, and towards the end of 1885 was engaged as principal soprano at St Francis’s church, Melbourne, but a provincial concert tour undertaken at this period had so little success that in some cases the receipts did not cover the expenses. Early in 1886 her father was appointed Victorian commissioner to the Indian and Colonial exhibition to be held in London, and on 11 March she sailed with her father and her little son to Europe, with the intention of studying for a career in grand opera.
Mrs Armstrong had brought letters of introduction with her, but Sir Hubert Parry would not break his rule against hearing students in private, and although Sir Arthur Sullivan gave her a hearing, the whole measure of his encouragement was that if she would work hard for a year he might be able to give her a small part in one of his operas. Wilhelm Ganz was favourably impressed, but she sang twice at concerts in London without arousing much interest. Other disappointments were met with and it was decided that she should go to Paris and present a letter from one of Marchesi’s former pupils, Madame Elise Wiedermann, wife of the Austro-Hungarian consul at Melbourne. When she arrived an appointment was made and after hearing her sing Marchesi rushed out of the room to tell her husband that she had at last found a star. Coming back she told Mrs Armstrong that if she would study seriously for one year she would make something extraordinary of her. Lessons began at once, but although Mrs Armstrong had an allowance from her father and lived economically, she was often short of money. In December 1886 at a concert given at her teacher’s home she sang for the first time under the name of Madame Melba, and always afterwards was known by that name. A few months later Maurice Strakosch, a well-known impresario of the period, heard her singing at Marchesi’s house, and obtained Melba’s signature to a contract which would have tied her to him for 10 years at a quite inadequate salary. When the directors of the Théatre de la Monnaie at Brussels offered to engage Melba to sing in Rigoletto Marchesi promised to make the necessary arrangements with Strakosch. However, he would not agree, and a week before the performance Strakosch was invoking the law to prevent her appearance. He, however, died suddenly on 9 October 1887 and on the evening of the thirteenth Melba made her first appearance in grand opera. Her success was immediate, and she was acclaimed as a great singer. She was treated with generosity by the directors of the theatre, and in her first season also took the leading part in Traviata, Lucia di Lammermoor, Delibes’s Lakmé, and Ambrose Thomas’s Hamlet. On 24 May 1888 she appeared at Covent Garden in Lucia di Lammermoor. The critics were comparatively lukewarm, and although the public showed some appreciation of her work Melba was glad to be back in Brussels in October repeating the triumphs that had begun 12 months before. In February 1889 she sang Juliet in Gounod’s Romeo and Juliet and in May made her first appearance at the Opera House, Paris, as Ophelia in Hamlet. After the fourth act she was recalled three times and there was a scene of almost unparalleled enthusiasm. In June she reappeared at Covent Garden in Rigoletto and Romeo and Juliet and found her position much advanced. Moreover Jean de Reszke had been the Romeo and Edouard de Reszke the friar, great singers with whom she was always in perfect sympathy. A season in Paris followed where Melba was fortunate in receiving coaching from Gounod for the part of Juliet, and kindly suggestions from Sara Bernhardt in the acting of Marguerite in Faust. Her fame was now established; for many years she sang in every season at Covent Garden, and she was equally welcome in the continental cities from St Petersburg to Palermo. In 1893 she went to the United States and, though her first performances did not make much stir, by the end of the season it was realized that she had acquired a popularity little short of that of Patti in her best period. In the following year she sang at the Handel Festival at the Crystal Palace, but although her voice carried well in the huge building, she decided she would never sing there again. In the succeeding years Melba had fresh triumphs in the United States and Europe, and in September 1902 she returned to Australia and gave a series of concerts, which were everywhere received with the greatest enthusiasm. In 1907 she paid a holiday visit to Australia, and gave a short series of concerts at Melbourne and Sydney about the end of that year. Henceforth her time was divided between Australia and Europe. in 1911 she brought an excellent opera company to Australia, and in 1913 she gave a series of lessons at the university conservatorium of music at Melbourne. The Melba Hall at this conservatorium was the result of a performance given by the singer. In 1914 she was associated with the Albert Street Conservatorium at Melbourne, and during the war years she raised some £60,000 for the Red Cross by her efforts. In March 1924 she began a final Australian opera season at Melbourne and Sydney. She spent most of 1925 in Europe and in that year published a volume of reminiscences, Melodies and Memories. In June 1926 she made her final appearance at Covent Garden at a concert to a large audience, which included King George V and Queen Mary. In May 1927 she sang the national anthem at the opening of federal parliament house at Canberra by the Duke and Duchess of York. Her final appearance in Australia was at a concert at Geelong, Victoria, in November 1928. Returning to London soon afterwards she lived there until November 1930, and falling into bad health, again made her way to Australia. No improvement took place and she died at Sydney on 23 February 1931. She left a son and a granddaughter. She was created D.B.E. in 1918 and G.B.E. in 1927. Her will was proved at approximately £200,000. Many annuities and legacies were left to relations, friends and employees. £8000 was placed on trust to provide a scholarship at the Albert Street Conservatorium, Melbourne, and the residue of the estate went to her son, his wife and their daughter. She was buried at Lilydale some 20 miles from Melbourne. Her portrait by Longstaff and a marble bust by Mackennal are at the national gallery, Melbourne.
Melba was of moderate height with a good figure which she held so well that she suggested tallness. Her features were regular and she had no difficulty in looking the parts of Juliet, Marguerite and Ophelia. She became masterful with success and on occasions she could be temperamental; like most artists she had her share of vanity, and was not free from jealousy. But she was generous to young artists, sang much for charity, and more than once helped struggling institutions such as the British National Opera Company. Her voice had a remarkable evenness through a compass of two and a half octaves, her production was natural and perfect, and she sang florid passages with a suggestion of complete case and restraint. She had been taught by Marchesi the value of never forcing the voice, and this enabled her to preserve its remarkable freshness and purity for far longer than the usual period. She had a repertoire of 25 operas, and in a good proportion of these she had no rival. Her voice must be ranked among the great voices of all time.

This biography is republished from The Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in Twentieth-Century Australia. Written by Jennifer Gall, National Film and Sound Archive. See below for full attribution.

Dame Nellie Melba (Helen Porter Mitchell) was born in Melbourne in 1866, the eldest surviving child of building contractor, David Mitchell and his wife Isabella. She has maintained her reputation since the early twentieth century, both in her country of birth and abroad, as Australia’s most famous woman. Her unquestionable status as opera diva and generous benefactor to Australian music is coloured by her reputation as a wayward child, runaway wife, neglectful mother and a woman of loose morals who achieved notoriety as the mistress of the Pretender to the French throne. It is this combination of artistic achievement and free-spirited excess in her character that has made her legendary. The magnificence of her success was an achievement in which all Australians could bask. As Thérèse Radic explains, Melba’s fame was a shrine at which her countrymen worshipped, admiring her ability to ‘take a gift of nature and turn it into diamonds, furs, cars, houses, travel, parties and investments … [enabling her] to lead what can only be called the grand lif.’ (Radic, p. viii).
Melba understood that ‘legends are created and transmitted through the voices of many people’ (Radic: p. viii). Like the great ballerina, Anna Pavlova, Melba used the phenomenon of her operatic success to promote herself through many tours, as a consummate artist capable of touching the lives of people from all levels of society. She made only 25 roles her own – a strikingly small number of Operatic characters for such a long career – but she wisely adhered to music that showcased her particular skills. Her tours of regional Australia and provincial England in the early twentieth century took her to ramshackle country halls in hundreds of remote settlements where she often performed simple, sentimental songs which were accessible to her listeners. Some commentators have dismissed this repertoire as maudlin and a cynical money-making exercise on Melba’s part, but in her recordings of such homely songs as Home Sweet Home and Coming Through the Rye her impeccably accurate intonation, her silvery tone and disciplined phrasing resonate still as the musical achievements of a superb artist.
In her autobiography Melodies and Memories Melba wrote: ‘If you wish to understand me at all you must understand first and foremost that I am an Australian’ (p. 9). Throughout her long career at Covent Garden, she championed her national identity, teaching her own and subsequent generations of Australian artists that with self-confidence and enormous hard work there was no need to kowtow to English cultural superiority. From the earliest days of her musical training, Melba was determined to make her mark on her own terms as a self-made woman. In 1883 she sat in a house in far north Queensland listening to the pouring rain, her marriage of a few months in tatters, and a baby on the way. Melba resolved to leave domesticity behind her and pursue her interrupted career as a singer. She returned to Melbourne and took lessons with several teachers, most notably Pietro Cecchi, and made a successful Australian debut in 1884. Determined to pursue singing opportunities abroad, she travelled to London, making an unremarkable debut at Princes Hall in 1886. Receiving little encouragement from the musical world in London, she left for Mathilde Marchesi’s Paris studio. When Melba sang for Marchesi, the teacher reportedly exclaimed ‘J’ai enfin une étoile!’ (I have a star at last!) (Melba, p. 31).
Two impresarios vied to secure her after two years tuition with Marchesi: Maurice Strakosh offered her a 10 year contract but she accepted an offer with more generous terms from the Théâtre la Monnaie where on the 12 October 1887 made her triumphant operatic debut as Gilda in Rigoletto. Poised to launch her European career, Helen Porter Mitchell took Marchesi’s advice and adopted the name Melba – a contraction of the name of her home city, Melbourne – as her stage name. Lady de Gray was a staunch ally in London at Covent Garden, and at her behest, Melba returned to star in Gounod’s Roméo et Juliette in June 1889. While critics such as Bernard Shaw, Neville Cardus and John Norton questioned the depth of her vocal powers, for the most part she was highly regarded by the composers whose operas she performed.
In December 1893 Melba sang at the Metropolitan Opera House in New York opening the way for many American tours throughout her career. Later, in 1905, Melba met Oscar Hammerstein, a wilful, stubborn character who persuaded her to sing in the Opera Company he set up to rival the Metropolitan. It was the kind of alliance Melba loved. If she had agreed to be on the regular staff of the Metropolitan Opera, Melba would have had to sing the roles she was assigned, where and as directed and, she wrote, characteristically, ‘No artist gives her best under those conditions. I said to myself: “I am Melba. I shall sing where and when I like and I shall sing in my own way”‘ [Blainey, p. 432]. An arrogant statement perhaps, but by 1908, Melba was without doubt the highest paid singer in the history of Grand Opera. As an indication of her popularity, in 1908, the Royal Albert Hall which seated 10,000 was sold out a week in advance of her performance.
Melba was concerned with leaving behind a legacy. To this end, on arrival in Fremantle in August 1911, she announced the formation of her first Australian opera company. Unable to show performances outside Sydney and Melbourne, Melba valiantly hoped to secure reduced steamboat and rail tickets so that all people might travel to the capital cities to see the grand spectacle. It was a magnificent gesture, and Madam Melba influenced and inspired thousands of first-time Opera-goers. Her earlier Australian tours of 1902, 1907 and1909 were extraordinary events in the musical life of the country and had created eager anticipation for a fully developed operatic season.
During World War I Melba dedicated herself to raising funds for the war effort. She was created a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire for raising £100,000 between 1914 and 1918. On April 12th, 1915, Melba gave her first class at the Albert Street Conservatorium in Melbourne, and by May she was teaching young women on a regular basis. These classes focused on one-to-one comments and criticism by Melba, and by establishing her specialised form of teaching so intensively she influenced a generation of Australian singers.
Melba was often attacked in the Australian press for her supposed snobbery and her excessive wealth, but the tremendous public displays of support which occurred throughout her Australian tours and at her funeral when she died in 1931 demonstrated that ‘a great part of Melba’s marvellous popularity is due to her prodigious personal pull. People like her … the real people. It seems to them…that she is fine, individual, human.’ (Selwyn Rider, Melbourne Triad, in Radic, P. 149)

Works cited
Jennifer Gall, ‘Melba, Nellie’, in The Encyclopedia of Women and Leadership in Twentieth-Century Australia, Australian Women’s Archives Project, 2014, https://www.womenaustralia.info/leaders/biogs/WLE0332b.htm, accessed 16 January 2022.