MS 9331 comprises the following items: Thirty undated letters written by Nellie Melba to her friend Lady Susan Fitzclarence, ca. 1908-1917, from Australia, New Zealand, London, Paris and New York; several photos, including two large autographed photos of Melba; three menus, all dated 1917, autographed by Melba and her fellow diners, including Charlie Chaplin; programmes from several of Melba's concerts, including the Grand Melba Concert at Royal Albert Hall on 7 May 1910 and her farewell concert tour in 1926; a small number of press clippings relating to Melba; a typescript account of a meeting with Melba, by Ailwyn Best, entitled "How I sang with Melba"; and, "Panoramic Sydney", a booklet of panoramic photographs of Sydney published in the early 20th century (2 folders, 1 security binder, 1 fol. box).
Dame Nellie Melba was born in Melbourne in 1861 and took her stage name from that city. A year's study in Paris with the famous Mathilde Marchesi transformed her from a gifted beginner into a brilliant vocalist, soon to be regarded as the most accomplished and most famous soprano of her time. Her purity of voice made her the most famous diva in the operatic world, throughout which she gave many performances. Between 1904 and 1926 Melba made some 150 records. Her final performance at Covent Garden was in June 1926, with her last Australian performances in Sydney and Melbourne in 1928.
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