Melba, Nellie
(1859–1931)> SOPRANO
Melba, Nellie (19 May 1859, near Melbourne, Australia; 23 February 1931, Sydney), soprano, née Helen Mitchell and married to Charles Porter Armstrong , was over 21, a mother, and separated from her husband when she set sail for France to study for an operatic career under her stage name Melba that she chose to honor her native city. She prepared herself under the egis of the great teacher, Mathilde Marchesi . Melba made her theatrical debut in less than a year at the Théâtre de la Monnaie in…