Dame Nellie Melba

 Sandy Ross, President of Lilydale Historical Society spoke to our Society on May 3rd on his favourite subject, Dame Nellie Melba.

Dame Nellie is regarded as an icon of the Lilydale district and the Lilydale Historical Museum is devoted to Melba memorabilia costumes, photographs and many other artefacts on Melba.

Lady Vestey, Melba’s grand daughter is patron of the Lilydale Historical Society and has donated and loaned much of the material in the museum.

David Mitchell, Melba’s father, was bom in Scotland in 1829, and arrived in Melbourne in 1856. He was a stonemason by trade. He soon married the daughter of another stonemason and soon two children were born who both died in infancy. Their third child Helen Porter Mitchell was born in 1861 and was a healthy child who thrived. Later seven further children were bom to Isabel and David Mitchell.

Music dominated the young Helen’s life who became a talented organist, however singing was her first love.

At the age of six years Helen sang at the Richmond Town Hall and later her first paid job was as a singer at St Patrick’s Cathedral. As the family were staunch Scottish Presbyterians, Helen’s connection with the Catholic Church was not popular with her father, and the conflict with her family due to her headstrong and self-willed nature was to provide the style and direction for the rest of her life.

Her mother died in 1881 and later a sister died also. Helen was much affected by this sister’s death and she had been charged by her mother as the eldest daughter to care for this delicate sister.

After going to Queensland with her father, Helen met and married Charles Armstrong - an Englishman jackeroo and Baronet’s brother. A son, George was born. The life of a countrywoman in a simple log house in Outback Queensland did not appeal to Helen and she returned to Melbourne to recommence her musical training.

She had an opportunity to go with her father to Europe to try her luck in the opera world. She was given one year to succeed by her father, and in 1886 left for Europe with an introduction to Madame Marchesi, the most famous voice coach in Europe. Marchesi at once recognised Helen as a potential star ad arranged to coach her. As an unknown from the Antipodes Marchesi chose Melba as a suitable stage name for Helen who was then known as Madam Melba.

Her debut was in Brussels, later Melba tried Convent Garden and with further training success followed. She was a star at Convent Garden for a record 35-40 years. She was divorced from Charlie Armstrong in 1891 and in the years to follow became a world famous operatic soprano in USA and Europe.

In 1902 Melba returned to a spectacular welcome in Australia and especially in Lilydale where she was feted moving through decorated arches in the main street and presented with an illuminated address which is now in the Lilydale museum.

In 1904 Melba began to record her voice using the new technology at that time. She was a canny businesswoman insisting that her records were to cost one shilling more than all others.

Melba purchased a property, Coomba Cottage at Coldstream in 1909 and altered and furnished it with antiques purchased in Europe.

In 1924, Melba held the first of her famous farewell tours and in 1929 she finally retired after her last concert in England.

Melba died in 1931, in Sydney after contracting a virus whilst in Egypt and her funeral train to Melbourne made a slow journey, stopping in many towns for people to mourn Australia’s most famous operatic star.

The coffin carried on a gun carriage made its final journey to Lilydale Cemetery where it now lies.

We thank you Sandy for a very moving and well researched dissertation on Dame Nellie Melba and we appreciated hearing Melba’s famous voice on a record, singing her signature tune, “Home, sweet, home.”

Source: 2006-11 DTHS Newsletter