Dame Nellie Melba correspondence
Collection
Accession number
TR 1797
Date
1882-1986
Abstract
Dame Nellie Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell, she married Charles Armstrong in 1882 and had a son, George. She changed her name to Melba, in tribute to her home town of Melbourne, when preparing for a professional career under Madame Marchesi in Paris. The collection contains correspondence, photographs and newspaper clippings.
Scope and content
This collection consists of correspondence sent by Nellie Melba to her singing master Signor Pietro Cecchi. There are eight letters and one telegram, all addressed to her teacher. The collection also contains several newspaper clippings on Dame Nellie Melba, as well as original photographs of Pietro Cecchi and one of Melba dated 1921; an unidentified house associated with Melba and 5 cartes-de-visite.
System of arrangement
Arranged into 4 series
Description
8 letters, 1 telegram, 1 folder newspaper clippings, 8 photographs
Administrative / Biographical history
Dame Nellie Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell on 19 May 1861 in Richmond, Victoria. She lived with her parents, Isabella and David Mitchell, and seven younger brothers and sisters, and attended the Presbyterian Ladies College in Melbourne for her schooling.
Access restrictions
Unrestricted access.
Copyright status
Out of copyright.
Conditions of use
You are free to use without permission. Please attribute the State Library of Queensland.
Custodial history
Thea Phillips, who had a distinguished singing career in Europe, where she apparently knew Melba, before coming to Australia in 1934, and by descent to the owner who sold the collection through Christie's. (Information taken from the Christie's auction catalogue.)
Preferred citation
TR 1797, Dame Nellie Melba Correspondence, John Oxley Library, State Library of Queensland.