Dame Nellie Melba

Snow Hill London Greater London

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Name

St Sepulchre-without-Newgate Church

Connection

Stained glass window dedicated to Dame Nellie Melba, Australia's original diva queen.

Location

Snow Hill, London EC1A 2DH

How to get there

Nearest underground station: St Pauls (Central Line)

Story

Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell in May 1861) was a renowned Australian operatic soprano. She was born in Melbourne but spent various periods of her life in London, Paris and New York. She adopted the pseudonym, Melba, after her home town of Melbourne. You’ll find the stained-glass window for Melba in the Musicians’ Chapel on the left hand side of the nave. It is one of a number of London memorials to this famous singer.



Detail of the  Melba window

Creative piece - LISTEN



She made a number of ‘final’ appearances at Covent Garden and also a number of comebacks. She is responsible for the saying 'More comebacks than Nellie Melba'. Her final final performance was recorded and can be listened to – here.

Further information

Wikipedia –here 

Biography –here 

Note this church also houses the Executioner's Bell from Newgate Prison –here

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