Touring and travelling in the early 20th century

‘I have given 7 concerts but it is dreary work travelling & living in a private car – of course it is luxurious: but there is no fun in it.’ 

Nellie Melba, 1910

Melba and Grainger travelled great distances around the world, performing in venues that ranged from world-class opera houses and concert halls, to small-town stages and private homes. The quantity of performances they both undertook is truly remarkable, crisscrossing Europe, the United Kingdom, United States and Australia. Throughout their travels, they embraced the forms of transport available in the machine age.

In order to build and maintain their successful careers, both Melba and Grainger were required to conduct their public and private lives in an apparently endless state of movement. Accompanying them were the items needed for the stage – performance attire, elaborate costumes and accessories, music and musical instruments – as well as the day-to-day materials necessary for life on tour.

Melba and Grainger chose to undertake their travel with different levels of luxury. Melba’s touring style reflected her celebrity status. She was driven by a chauffeur in her motor cars and accompanied by a secretary or larger entourage on ocean liners and in private train carriages. During her 1898 tour across the United States, the assigned train carriage had her famous name emblazoned on its side. On long journeys, Melba frequently travelled with over a dozen Louis Vuitton trunks.

By contrast, Grainger chose to travel as anonymously and cheaply as possible, particularly when touring as a solo performer. Without the assistance of porters at regional railway stations, he noted in 1919 that ‘I’m glad my suitcases are light & easy to handle.’