Nellie Melba

<p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Dame Nellie Melba (1861--1931) is arguably the most famous of all Australian women and her portrait graces Australia's highest denomination banknote. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Blessed with an exceptionally fine voice Melba forged a spectacular career for herself in the rarified world of grand opera and was acknowledged as a 'Queen of Song'. Triumph after triumph crowned her forty-four-year-long career and her admirers included numerous famous composers and the monarchsof many countries. Melba also provided a role model for other Australians who followed in her footsteps onto the stages of the world's great opera houses. </span></p><p></p><p><span style=color: rgba(0 0 0 1)>Melba's private life was almost as colourful as the plots of the operas in which she sang. A turbulent marriage that ended in acrimonious divorce custody battles a doomed love affair with a member of the French royal family health problems and a press campaign of criticism about her character taxed Melba's stamina and her courage.</span></p>