Dame Nellie Melba was one of the most celebrated opera singers of all time. She was the first Australian vocalist to achieve international stardom and her work was showcased at some of the most prominent opera houses of her time. But this wasn’t all she was known for. She was created Dame of the Order of the British Empire for her significant charitable work during World War I and she spent a great deal of her time teaching and investing in the lives of rising young vocalists. As much as she lov

Dame Nellie Melba was born on this day in 1861. She was an operatic soprano and one of the most famous singers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. From her beginnings in Richmond, Victoria, Melba achieved fame in Paris and London in the 1880s and the USA in the 1890s. She broke ticket sale records during tours in Australia and New Zealand in the early 1900s. She performed for royalty and received the levels of public admiration commanded by pop stars today. Happy birthday, Melba.