Her most famous role was that of Mimi in La bohème, which she first performed in 1896. She studied the role with its composer, Puccini, and was to sing it many times, often in partnership with Enrico Caruso as Rodolfo. Verdi also coached her for Desdemona in his Otello, but died before he could see her perform it.
Melba made her New York Metropolitan Opera debut in New York in La Bohème in 1904. In 1906, Oscar Hammerstein I opened the...