Talk:Nellie Melba

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This is the talk page for discussing improvements to the Nellie Melba article.
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I just want to compliment this page to whomever wrote it. I've rarely run across such a scholarly job on Wikipedia. It was engaging and interesting without being POV. Thanks! 68.42.59.219 23:41, 2 December 2006 (UTC)M

I don't think this article is terribly accurate (for example, Melba never had a grandson, did not move to Qld. in 1880, and was not generally regarded as temperamental (quite the opposite, actually, by some); her family were extremely proud of her and accepted her marriage failure philosophically), nor does the article adequately sum up Melba's astonishing achievements and her significance. Melba certainly could be vain and imperious, but other aspects of her personality, such her immense (often financial) generosity and self-awareness, need to be recorded too. The article seems to be generally negative and forgets the positive side. Almost nothing is said of the particular achievements of Melba's career, one which certainly extended well beyond England and Australia alone.


I wonder whether any recordings of Nellie Melba exist? I'll see what I can find.--Robert Merkel 22:06 28 Jun 2003 (UTC)

Yes, certainly they do. She recorded for HMV and Victor Talking Machine Company. -- Infrogmation 22:41 28 Jun 2003 (UTC)

Cheapo CD label Naxos have reissued quite a few of her recordings - it's an ongoing series, I think. Interesting listening. I might upload a snippet of her (eventually) if nobody else does. --Camembert

Is it worth noting, with respect to her recordings, that the recording techniques of the day were particularly maladept at recording the soprano voice, and that this needs to be borne in mind by modern listeners when they hear her recordings?

[edit] more 'farewells' or more 'comebacks'?

The Australian Broadcast Corporation's [page] says:

She had a farewell tour that lasted four years, which, of course, is the origin of the phrase, "More farewells than Dame Nellie".

The page here talks about "More comebacks". Are both right?

Jon Pincus (jon_near_seattle@hotmail.com) 05:10, 18 December 2005 (UTC)

Both are in use, I think. --Robert Merkel 00:13, 3 December 2006 (UTC)
In relation to "comebacks". In senses such as this, "comeback: is not an Australian expression (it is an American expression).
It has never been "comebacks" and never will be "comebacks" for the simple reason that she never really retired; and, thus, from this was never able to resume an abandoned career (i.e., she could never "come back" from anything from which she had never departed in the first place).
It is very plainly clear that she was milking the finances and sympathies of her audiences by representing her performances as if they were "farewell" performances.
Also, there is the plain fact that the expression was always used in Australian English the context of someone, say, leaving, then returning, "Just one more thing…", then leaving, then appearing once more, "Oh, and another thing…". Once the individual had finally left, one of those present would remark of "He/she makes more farewells than Nellie Melba".
I have changed the text of the article in accordance with this (I suspect that, if such a "comeback" statement has ever been uttered, it has been by someone such as Dennis Cometti in some extraordinary circumstance. It is not an Australian expression).Lindsay658 08:26, 17 June 2007 (UTC)

[edit] 'Ruthlessness' - Citations required

This section contains several alleged "quotes" and completely unreferenced and anecdotal allegations about Melba's relationships with her colleagues. They may well be true, but they must have proper citations from reliable, verifiable, published sources. If they are not available online, then they must be referenced to the book or article in which they appear, with full bibliographic information including the exact page number. I have added {{Citation needed}} in the places where this is required.Voceditenore 16:16, 5 November 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Discussion of her voice

There is nothing in this article about Melba's voice. I do not have texts on her to use as a reference, but listening to her one is impressed at the purity of the voice and almost total lack of vibrato, unless she wanted to produce it, and all her recordings were made late in her career. --CloudSurfer (talk) 00:02, 25 March 2008 (UTC)

Checking the web further reveals this article which has numerous references that could be accessed by someone with a good library nearby. Sadly, my nearest good library is a couple of thousand km away. --CloudSurfer (talk) 02:27, 25 March 2008 (UTC)