''Melba'' is a 1946 Australian radio drama about the life of

Nellie Melba Dame Nellie Melba (born Helen Porter Mitchell; 19 May 186123 February 1931) was an Australian operatic lyric coloratura soprano. She became one of the most famous singers of the late Victorian era and the early twentieth century, and was the f ...

. and first broadcast by stations 3DB and 3LK 1946–1947 in fifty 30-minute episodes. It was produced by

Hector Crawford Hector William Crawford CBE AO (14 August 191311 March 1991) was an Australian entrepreneur, conductor and media mogul, best known for his radio and television production firms. He and his sister Dorothy Crawford founded Crawford Productions ...

, who knew Melba. The scripting involved months of research. Four actresses played Melba: *Eight-year-old Kareen Wilson spoke and sang the young Melba — "Comin' Thro' the Rye" and "See Me Dance the Polka" in the Richmond Town Hall. She was the daughter of baritone Ernest Wilson and soprano Freda Northcote. * Glenda Raymond, a coloratura soprano from Melbourne, sang all the arias of Melba in her emerging years, in the original key and hitting the same notes. She was a relative unknown, but had a subsequent career in opera, notably as Etain in

Rutland Boughton Rutland Boughton (23 January 187825 January 1960) was an English composer who became well known in the early 20th century as a composer of opera and choral music. He was also an influential communist activist within the Communist Party of Gre ...

's '' The Immortal Hour''. * Stella Power — dubbed "the Little Melba" by Melba herself — sang the mature Melba. * Patricia Kennedy played the speaking "Nellie Mitchell that scarifies you with the rough side of her tongue" Melba, "a remarkable success", said the Adelaide ''Advertiser'', For continuity, Kennedy played ever stage of Melba's life. and many real-life friends and colleagues played themselves. ''ABC Weekly'' said "The woven story is interesting and the music-dialogue balance nicely placed, with the story itself built on factual references to Melba’s career." The ''Advocate'' said it was "very pleasant listening."

References

{{reflist 1946 Australian radio dramas 1940s Australian radio serials Nellie Melba Cultural depictions of Nellie Melba Australian radio dramas based on actual events Australian radio dramas set in Victoria