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Negative.

24.7 x 19.6 cm

This negative relates to a photograph of a collage of photographs depicting Rose Grainger and Percy Grainger in the USA from 1919 to 1922. The photos are numbered from 34 to 81 in a random sequence.

Melba owned numerous cars throughout her life including models made by Rolls Royce, Pierce-Arrow, Renault, Fiat and Cadillac. When she travelled, her cars were sometimes shipped between continents including to Australia. In Paris in 1904, Melba was…

In January 1894, Melba read an unexpected announcement in the New York Herald that she was to perform as Elizabeth in Richard Wagner’s opera Tannhäuser at the Metropolitan Opera House. Rather than cancel the performance, she determinedly learnt the…

Melba dated her success at Covent Garden from her 1889 performance in Roméo et Juliette opposite Jean de Reszke. It was the first time that English audiences had heard the opera sung in French. Juliette became one of the most frequently performed…

This large-scale portrait of Melba as Juliette is an imposing example of the use of studio photography to portray an operatic role. A companion photograph taken at the same time, depicted Melba as the dead Juliette lying on her tomb. The diva…

The title role of Gaetano Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor highlighted Melba’s vocal abilities, particularly in the ‘mad scene’ which showcased her remarkable trill. Her 1888 Covent Garden debut in the role received a lukewarm response from critics,…

In 1889, prior to performing in Paris as Marguerite in Faust, Melba visited the famous French actress, Sarah Bernhardt, who declared: ‘You sing like an angel. I want to teach you to act like an angel too.’ Bernhardt proceeded to give Melba a lesson…

The ill-fated Mimi in La Bohème was one of Melba’s most frequently performed roles. She had particular success in the opera singing opposite Enrico Caruso as Rodolfo. While impressing audiences with his sublime tenor voice, Caruso took great delight…