Melba

A biography of the world-famous opera singer Dame Nellie Melba, this book provides fresh insights into her character and motivations. It describes her childhood in Australia, her studies in Paris, her rise to fame and the fascination which she inspired up to the time of the mysterious illness which caused her death. Melba is presented as a shrewd, self-made woman, financially and personally independent. She managed her greatest asset - her voice - and her earnings cleverly so that the voice lasted the distance of a long and strenuous career, and her investments enabled her to enjoy life on a grand scale. She dictated the terms of her own life and rose to unsurpassed heights in her chosen profession. The book's large format enables the main text to be supplemented by lengthy footnotes running down the outside margins, providing additional historical and anecdotal information.