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‘From Prima Donnas to Divas’ lecture set at Victrola Museum March 4

‘Goddess of Song’ Nellie Melba featured
February 24, 2017

A lecture is set at 3 p.m., Saturday, March 4, at the Johnson Victrola Museum in Dover. Steven Mumford and Susan Emory from the Department of Historical and Cultural affairs will present From Prima Donnas to Divas, a Victor Creation.

Nellie Melba, a young Australian, had a most beautiful and different type of voice. She had a rather pure, birdlike sound with a perfect trill. It was agreed that she could not be launched as Nellie Armstrong, her given name. So, the diva became Melba, named after the city of Melbourne. During the golden years of great operatic companies and singers, Melba traveled almost constantly from London to Paris, Vienna, Madrid, New York, Monte Carlo, and to America and Australia. She was wanted everywhere. She was also very well paid. In fact she earned far more, in comparison, than today's greatest singers. She was regarded as the Goddess of Song, and was called The Diva.

From the applause that greeted Rosa Poncelle’s Metropolitan Opera debut to the critics’ praise afterward, the consensus was that she possessed one of the most beautiful voices in living history. Later in her career at age 60, gripped with bouts of depression after a failed marriage, she rekindled her recording career and recovered the prominence of her earlier days. For more information, email Steven.Mumford@state.de.us.

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