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00:30She was Australia's first superstar,
00:32famous across the world for her coloratura soprano voice
00:36and the charisma of her performances.
00:39Dame Nellie Melba had lived an unconventional life
00:42in an era where women were expected to be content as wives and mothers.
00:47Melba was born Helen Porter Mitchell in 1861.
00:51She was determined to pursue a singing career,
00:54even after her marriage at age 21 and the birth of a son.
00:59Helen traveled to Europe to study with the famed Madame Marchese,
01:02who taught her technique, deportment,
01:04and importantly, how to conduct herself in society.
01:08While she didn't have a perfect voice,
01:10she was able to pick the roles that best showcased her talent.
01:14Marchese later said,
01:15it was her brains that made Melba's voice.
01:20Helen changed her name to Melba
01:22to honor her hometown of Melbourne
01:25and established herself as the world's most famous opera singer.
01:29She was particularly renowned for classics such as Home Sweet Home
01:33and swiftly became a fixture at London's Covent Garden Opera House.
01:38Melba's breakout performance was in Romeo and Juliet
01:41and she also became famous for her roles in La Traviata and La Boheme.
01:46She sang for the Russian Tsar, the Swedish King and Queen Victoria
01:51and moved in the highest circles of society.
01:56Her husband Charles came to Europe with her, but the marriage was over.
02:00He chose to ignore her discreet affairs
02:02until she fell passionately in love with the Duke of Orléans,
02:06whereupon he filed for divorce.
02:10Melba realized the scandal could derail her career
02:13and she broke off the affair.
02:15The divorce went through ten years later,
02:17but Melba never remarried.
02:19In 1902 she made a triumphant return to Australia
02:23and set a new world record by netting £21,000 for a single Sydney concert.
02:30Australians were fascinated by her life of fame and luxury
02:34and she was mobbed wherever she went.
02:37But Melba also inspired jealousy.
02:39Malicious rumors that she had a fondness for the bottle
02:42and treated fellow performers in a mean-spirited way
02:45plagued her throughout her life.
02:49The singer rose above these allegations
02:52and her star continued to climb as she reached her forties.
02:57In 1918 she was made a Dame of the British Empire.
03:02Melba was one of the first artists to make gramophone recordings
03:06and established a signature pink record label.
03:16In 1920 she became the first internationally recognized artist
03:20to make a radio broadcast.
03:23Melba began a series of farewell performances in 1924,
03:28but it was another four years before her career was officially over.
03:33She died in 1931 of complications following cosmetic surgery
03:38and her funeral motorcade was over a kilometre long.
03:43Melba's death was front page news across the world.
03:46Her funeral was held in Scott's Church in Melbourne
03:49and she was buried at Lillydale, near her country estate.
03:53Melba authorised one photo to be officially released following her death,
03:57an image of her playing Juliet, one of her earliest roles.
04:01It was how she wanted to be remembered.
04:04After her death, Melbourne's Conservatorium of Music was renamed in her honour.
04:10In the 1990s Melba's likeness was chosen to appear on Australia's $100 bill
04:16and in 2003 several high profile philanthropists and musicians
04:21set up the Melba Foundation to help aspiring Australian singers
04:25establish international careers.
04:28The New York Times wrote in Melba's obituary,
04:31Fortunate the generation that heard her, for we shall never hear her like again.
05:01.
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