The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1931-02-23
DEATH TAKES
Dame MELBA
IN AUSTRALIA
Former Great Opera Star
Was 'DisCoverer' of
EnriCO CaruSo.
CREATED MANY ROLES
Won First Great Success
in Romeo and Juliet
in 1889.
CREATED MANY ROLES
picture on Pave Twol

Picture on Page Two
BIZ United Press
MELBOURNE, Australia, Feb. %
Dame Nellie Melba, who in 1902
persuaded the London opera house
to give Errico Caruso a trial, died
here today.
Death came to the opera star, one
Of the worlds greatest sopranos, in
her seYenty-second year after an
Hines which befell her while in
Cairo, Egypt, and Tor which she con-
suited specialists in Germany, Aus
tria and France and England with
out success.
HoneWard- bound to her native
Australia, she became seriously i'll
aboard tho liner Cathay Nov. 4 be-
fore the ship locked at Freemantle
and doctors would net permit her
to land.
When the Cathay touched Melb-
ourne she was taken ashore to a
hospital, and since that time had
lowered between life and death.
Her death today marks the sew
erance Of a line between the musical
work Of today and the past two gen.
erations.
Coached by Verdi
Verdi coached her in the part Of
Gilda in "Rigoletto." She helped
Puccini create the role of Mimi in
LA Boheme."
She created roles in operas by
Gounod, Mascagni, feoncavallo
Saint Saens, Sambroise, Thomas
and Massanet.
Among the celebrated singers
with whom she vas associated were
Caruso and Jean and Edouard de
Beske.
Sarah Bernllardt. Eleanora Duse
and Ellen Terry were her coaches
in acting
Dame Nellie Melba was chris
tened Helen Porter Mitchell. She
was born in Melbourne May 10,
1869, the daughter Of David Mitch
ell, a wealthy Scotch farmer. Her
mother was Of Spanish descent.
She spent her early years on her
fathers large estate at Cave Hill in
the Gippsland district Of Victoria.
Started on Stage at 6
Strenuous outdoor life was mixed
with the study Of piano, organ, vio-
lin and singing. She also learned
painting and delighted in sketch
ing the broad Australian land
scapes.
At the age Of 6 she made her
flrst appearance on the stage, sing
ing in a charity concert. Then she
concentrated on piano work. Her
staunch Presbyterian father object
ed to a stage career.
In 1882, she married Charles Mes
bitt Frederick Armstrong, q Queens
land sugar planter. A few years
later they went to Europe in order
that Mrs Armstrong might perfect
her voice
Her first attempts to win fame
were unsuccessful Sir Arthur Sui
Ivan heard her sing in London and
said he might find a minor part
for her IN his new comic opera,
THE AIikado.' But NIelba had no
intentions Of singing i'll comic opera.
Fought for Success
Madame Marchesi, one of the
most famous Paris singing instruc-
tors, heard Melba sing one song,
then rushed out of the room and
cried to her husband:
Salvatore, Salvatore, have
found a new star"
It was on the night OF Oct. Is
1887, that she appeared at the
Theatre De La Monnaie in Brus-
sells in the part of Gilda, achiev-
ing only moderate success.
A year later she made her first
appearance at Covent Garden, Lon
don, in the title role of Lucia d
Lammermoor The London critics
treated her condescendingly.
y The following year in Romeo and
Juliet" she achieved a success sucl,
as few artists ever before had
known. She soon was offered con-
tracts in Paris. Rome, St. Peters
burg, Vienna and Berlin.
Copyrighted Her Name
Melba made her first American
tour in 1898, visiting most Of the
principal cities. Her greatest success
IN the United States was achieved
IN 19o4-o5, when she travelled $4,000
miles in 40 days, visiting from New
York to California.
It was during one of these tours
that she DECIDED to copyright the
name "AIelba," which she had as
sumed just before her Brussels de-
but in honor Of her native city OF
Melbourne. She had become sc
famous that her name was being
used in connection with all kinds OF
patented products.
Media was the only singer who
appeared for twenty consecutive
seasons at Covent garden.
In the early years Of the twentieth
century she was known as the auto
crat Of Covent garden, for her word
was considered law.