An Unforgettable Interview with Dame Nellie MElba

1.Hello Dame Melba!!! It is great to have you here!! Now what events in your early life made you get interested in the arts?

A:            Well as a little girl I will admit I was no natural genius at vocal music but I always viewed vocal music more of a pleasurable past time. I mostly got into the vocal music after I divorced my ex-husband, Charles Nisbett Armstrong, and moved to England with my father (Mark McGinness, April 19, 2008). I was so lucky to have an amazing father like the father I had because he was nice enough to allow me to work with some of the most brilliant and accomplished opera mentors in the world. (Jane Resture's Oceania Page. 2011) But of course it wasn’t only him I had the most distressing part. That’s what made me such an intriguing artist I was never afraid to sing in front of an audience, and if you are not able to do that you might as well go back to working in the factories!

            Even though I was turned down a slender amount of times I never gave up and that’s what makes a truly talented musician, like myself. As you say today this “dog eat dog world” is a very weary business to work in and you must have some thick skin to get turned down time and time again. As you may know back then being a female was very distressing with men’s thought’s about how women should spend their day, let alone being a female entertainer!

2.Wow! It seems like women back from the 19^th century had it hard! In the last question you mentioned a lot about your mentors. What role did your mentors play in helping you develop your interests and talents you have for an artist?

A:             When I was trying to get my name known I was being guided by the most magnificent mentor in the universe! Her name was Mathilde Marchesi. (Arts Centre 2009) She was a German mezzo-soprano and singing teacher, and she studied with the brilliant Felice Ronconi. After she owned her own school of singing in Paris. In 1881, I began to thrive after Marchesi and I polished my sound and technique. She is the person that I think about every time I have a performance. She has helped me accomplish so much in my life and I don’t know what direction my life would have gone in with out her!

            There was also the imperial Lady de Grey. She was my supporter, insider, and leader in society while I was in London (Neill, 2008). In 1889 I was complimented numerous times at the Covent Garden for my role I played in Romeo and Juliet with Jean de Reszke. I will accept the fact that I had a limiting acting ability but when I sang a song I know for a fact that my voice could carry on the rest of the performance! And I give all my thanks to Lady de Grey because if it were not for her getting me the connections I needed in this industry, I would have never got to sing in my favorite piece of literature by Shakespeare. Lady de Grey introduced me to the glamorous social world, which I felt very comfortable going into. (R.E.B march 2003)

3.I know I wouldn’t mind living in the limelight like you Dame Melba! What was the world of operatic music like when you entered the field?

A:            As I was a little girl my father knew I always had aspirations to become a famous vocalist. And my father being the defensive father (that he feels he needs to be) was worried for me. He was worried because he did not think I was worldly enough to go out in the world and perform all over the world. He did not trust others around me and ultimately wanted the best for me, to be safe, and happy with where I was going with my life. And not many women back in the 19^th century had as good of a father as I did! (Women in World History Curriculum 1996-2011)

He was also fearful for me because of my sex. Being a female meant I would have to work 10 times as hard as any man and I would have received depressing thoughts about how I would “never be good enough”. Men would also look down on me because women were not supposed to be in the entertainment business. They were suppose to be working in factories, fields, or homes while the husband goes and make a life for his family and himself. All of those opinions about women staying home and getting paid lesser amounts compared to men aggravated me severely. If you don’t count my dad I was by myself without a husband for almost all my life and I did better than any other man could’ve done!

4. Miss. Melba you really seem like such an inspirational person! If only more women were as out going and had an excepting father figure such as yourself! Now back in the 19^th century how did major cultural, economic, and political situations of the time impact your work?

A:             Back in the day when I was traveling all over the world for a different performance I would travel by a steamboat or a steam locomotive, which I always dreaded! The long trips were always so horrid because the sources of transportation were small, cramp, uncomfortable, dangerous and slow. Being in a cramped area for a long time really starts to take its toll on you especially if you traveling to opposite sides of the world and if you’ve been traveling as much as I have! (Cairo American College. 2011.)

Politically it was hard enough for me being a women but being a divorced women was even more dreadful! After I got divorced many people viewed me as a spinster and useless to society. I was criticized a large quantity for being an atrocious wife to my ex-husband. To be frank, women were confined from having their own freedom and sometimes still are! It’s been over 100 year’s since my day and things still haven’t changed! (Butler 2007)

5. I can’t imagine the struggles women went through to be treated equally! As we have been talking I’ve noticed that you’re a very headstrong women, what were your major accomplishments and the methods you used in the arts?

A:            I have been waiting for you to ask me that! Well, while being in the limelight I appeared in many performances at the Covent Garden, I was named a Dame which is the female equivalent to a night, in 1918 for an abundant amount of charity work I helped with. (LLC Translations 2011) I was one of the first female entertainer’s to be awarded the honor of Dame Commander of the British Empire. (Famous Australian Women. 2010) I was also elevated to Dame Grand Cross of the British Empire in 1927. Winning those two major awards were some of the most colossal events of my life. When I was named a Dame I felt really good about myself making an impact for all the women out in the world.

Another interesting fact is that I was also named after foods! ‘Peach Melba’, which consists of the ingredients: vanilla ice cream, raspberries, sugar, cornstarch, and currant jelly! Also ‘Melba Toast’, which consists of enriched flour, whole wheat flour, sesame seeds, salt, canola oil, yeast, oat fiber, wheat gluten, dextrose, distilled vinegar, and soy lecithin was named after me! Both of these foods are delectable snacks!

6. Those are some intriguing and tasty accomplishments you’ve made! No what were some key opportunities you had that led to turning points in your life and art?

A:            Wow what a marvelous question! Well when my father, son and ex- husband moved to London that’s when I auditioned for my dear friend Mathilde Marchesi’s school for vocal music. Mrs. Marchesi is the person that thank over and over again for all my success! She introduced me to many marvelous mentors such as composers Sir Delibes, Messenet, and Gounod. I made my operatic debut in Brussels as Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto, which was also the role that made it hard to jump-start my career; even I got a slight amount of anxiety. (Polymer Notes. 2011)

I know I might keep repeating myself about Mrs. Marchesi but she was a truly great mentor and She has helped jump-start not only career but a plethora of others. Mrs. Marches has one of the longest lists of most successful singers, and I know I am so blessed I get to be part of the statistic. And I know of a bountiful amount that called me a “prima donna”, but you know when I talk so nicely about someone that I am being very sincere, because I usually talk about myself and that’s it. (Neill. 2008)

7. That’s what makes you such an interesting person though!! What were some personal choices that you had to make to become successful in the operatic world?

A:            Well the most important choice I made was leave my dreadful ex-husband!! He was a very abusive man, verbally, and physically. He’s beaten me with a whip, tried to cut me with a razor, a candlestick and much more! (Andrew. 2010) Being married to him was retched, and it was a very depressing time for me. But I do regret leaving my son George with that terrible man! But back then women were not allowed to receive custody of their child due to laws. (Spartacus Educational)* sniffle sniffle *

            Though I couldn’t do anything about my son having to stay with his father, I will I never forgive myself for not being able to take my son with me. We could’ve seen the world together, we could’ve stayed with each other if it weren’t for that putrid man he called Papa! I’m sorry but I can no longer talk about this subject, please move on to the next question. * Sniffle *

8. That is quite all right Dame Melba! What hardships and roadblocks did you have to overcome in order to be an artist?

A:            As you can see I am a woman. Women were either to stay at home with children doing everyday house chores or work in factory with a low income, while their husband had a job that would support the family. So as a woman in the entertainment business I had to work harder than any of the men did because were so under-estimated back then, and still are today! I had to work to earn respect, to put food on the table, and to be a house hold name all over the world! After a couple of magnificent performances people heard my beautiful tone and technique started not to judge as much. I was still treated poorly unless my male friend was a possible love interest. (Alamo, 2001)

            I’m not what you would call a psychic but I am almost positive that this world will never change. Women will always be under estimated, put down, put after men. It’s depressing because there are a ton of women in the world who are talented then other mean. I showed my father that I could pursue my dreams in the entertainment business, so why can’t other females around the world show the male figure roles in their life that they can do anything? But I have to say I am so proud of present women for stepping up to the plate and really making a good impression left on women. (University of Washington)

9. I couldn’t agree with you more Dame Melba! What kind of limitations did you run into as both an artist and a person?

A:            I was limited to many things, such as recording opportunities because of the technology back from my day and the lack of efficiency. (Michael Aspinall, 2008) I had a limited amount of friends because of my “Prima Donna” attitude that I portrayed myself as. Again being a female in the entertainment business. Also as I was growing up I lost both my mother and sister, which was really depressing but that also meant only one income. So my father and I moved to Mackay Queensland so he could run a sugar mill with my father. (Edmund St. Austell, September 2009)

            Living the rest of my life without my mother and sister did take its toll at first but after both of their deaths my father and I grew closer. Which is a blessing considering a lot of women back in the day did not have great relationships with there fathers. He also supported me with love, money and tenderness when I was going through my divorce and moved to fulfill my dreams.

10. You were quite lucky to have such an amazing father! I’m sorry to say but it looks like there is only one more question left! What personal stories best illustrate how you became successful in the arts?

A:            Well as I’ve already mentioned, back in 1880 when I lost both my mother and sister it took me what seemed forever to stop mourning over the situation. In the end it gave me a stronger backbone and has given me strength to believe in myself. (Jim Davidson, 1986) Just like Friedrich Nietzsche said “What doesn’t kill us makes us stronger”, where else do you think I got all that confidence from!?

In the entertainment business you need to think that way or else mentors will eat you alive and if one tells you no, you don’t give up! You go to the next mentor and you keep listening to the advice they give you in order to get better. Also helping mentor other aspiring operatic musicians just reminds me how much I loved to perform and thrive in front of other            s! (Wikipedia)

Citations

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