Performance | Tours
Dame Nellie Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell at the family home Doonside at Richmond Victoria on May 19, 1861. She was the eldest surviving daughter of David Mitchell and Isabella Ann Dow. While at school firstly at Leigh School and later Presbyterian Ladies College, Nellie showed great promise playing the organ, piano and singing.
Encouraged by both teachers and her family, Nellie took singing lessons which she continued afterwards with Pietro Cecchi, an Italian singer living in Melbourne.
Following the death of her mother on October 21, 1881 Nellie went with her father, a builder to Mackay in Queensland where she met and married Charles Armstrong, the youngest son of Frances Fullerton of Hampshire, England and British MP Sir Andrew Armstrong of Gallen Priory in King’s County (Offlay) Ireland.
Melba performed throughout Europe, America and New Zealand. The countries included France, Monaco, Italy, Germany, Russia, Denmark, Sweden, Italy and Austria and America.
She returned to Australia in 1902 and returned for her first Australian tour in 1909.
This was followed by the first Melba-Williamson Opera season in 1911.
Melba’s final public appearance was at a concert at Brighton on October 5, 1929. She died in Sydney on February 23, 1931 from paratyphoid and is buried at the Lilydale Cemetery.
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Share Your Information with the Museum!
Email us your info (and images) to:
[email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Nellie Melba Museum
Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
Email: [email protected]
Share your info with us:
[email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By Appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Nellie Melba Museum
Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]
Nellie Melba Museum
Contact Details:
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]
Our home is the Old Lilydale Court House:
61 Castella Street, Lilydale 3140
Hours of opening:
By appointment only:
Fridays 1 to 4pm and Saturdays to Mondays 11am to 4pm.
Sundays are preferred.
Closed Public Holidays
Share Your Information
with Nellie Melba Museum!
Sue Thompson: 0475 219 884
[email protected]