Dame Nellie Melba Biography
Dame Nellie Melba
Helena Porter Mitchell was born on the 19th of May in 1861, Richmond Melbourne. She was the eldest of seven of David Mitchell was a successful builder and businessmen and Isabella Ann nee Dow, who while shared the same taste in music with her husband, could also play a number of instruments very well. Isabella Ann was Dame Nellie’s first music teacher, though Dame Nellie was not a child prodigy, she first performed in public at the age of six.
Dame Nellie was first educated by her aunts before being sent to a boarding school in Richmond before going to an all-girls called the Presbyterian Ladies’ College. It was at Presbyterian Ladies’ College where Dame Nellie was able to pursue her interests as a singer. Melba left school in 1880.
After the death of her mother and sister, Melba, aged 21 went with her father to Queensland where he purchased a sugar mill; it was there where she met Charles Armstrong. The two were married in Brisbane, 1882 and had a son named George. The marriage ended in 1900.
Because of her growing ambition to become a professional singer, on 19 January 1884, Melba left Mackay for Melbourne where Pietro Cecchi- a Italian tenor became her teacher. Melba made her debut at the Liedertafel concert in Merlbourne in May 1884, where she met John Lemmone who became her accompanist, manager and would also later be present at her deathbed. Melba did not give Cecchi for his teaching. “I never did mention his name, in spite the fact…success…I was cconstantly being asked who had first taught me the elements of singing.”
In 1886, Melba began lessons with Mathilde Marchesi in Paris and was introduced to composers such as Delibes and Massenet. It was Marchesi who persuaded her to adopt the stage name Dame Nellie Melba. Not only was Marchesi a teacher, she was like a mother figure to Melba. “I could write pages about Madame Marchesi, for she was the first woman who really began my education.” While Cecchi had placed the voice, coached Melba in
Helena Porter Mitchell was born on the 19th of May in 1861, Richmond Melbourne. She was the eldest of seven of David Mitchell was a successful builder and businessmen and Isabella Ann nee Dow, who while shared the same taste in music with her husband, could also play a number of instruments very well. Isabella Ann was Dame Nellie’s first music teacher, though Dame Nellie was not a child prodigy, she first performed in public at the age of six.
Dame Nellie was first educated by her aunts before being sent to a boarding school in Richmond before going to an all-girls called the Presbyterian Ladies’ College. It was at Presbyterian Ladies’ College where Dame Nellie was able to pursue her interests as a singer. Melba left school in 1880.
After the death of her mother and sister, Melba, aged 21 went with her father to Queensland where he purchased a sugar mill; it was there where she met Charles Armstrong. The two were married in Brisbane, 1882 and had a son named George. The marriage ended in 1900.
Because of her growing ambition to become a professional singer, on 19 January 1884, Melba left Mackay for Melbourne where Pietro Cecchi- a Italian tenor became her teacher. Melba made her debut at the Liedertafel concert in Merlbourne in May 1884, where she met John Lemmone who became her accompanist, manager and would also later be present at her deathbed. Melba did not give Cecchi for his teaching. “I never did mention his name, in spite the fact…success…I was cconstantly being asked who had first taught me the elements of singing.”
In 1886, Melba began lessons with Mathilde Marchesi in Paris and was introduced to composers such as Delibes and Massenet. It was Marchesi who persuaded her to adopt the stage name Dame Nellie Melba. Not only was Marchesi a teacher, she was like a mother figure to Melba. “I could write pages about Madame Marchesi, for she was the first woman who really began my education.” While Cecchi had placed the voice, coached Melba in