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Dame Nellie Melba

Dame Nellie Melba

9.9
An Australian opera singer famous around the world in the late 1800s and early 1900s
  • proper noun
translation icon : Dama Nellie Melba
  • Dame Nellie Melba performed to sold-out audiences across Europe and the United States.

Examples

  • Many musicians admire Dame Nellie Melba for her remarkable vocal technique and stage presence.

  • The legacy of Dame Nellie Melba lives on in the world of opera and music education.

  • She was inspired by Dame Nellie Melba to pursue a career in opera.

  • Have you ever listened to Dame Nellie Melba's recordings?

  • Dame Nellie Melba captivated audiences with her stunning performances across Europe and America.

  • Many consider Dame Nellie Melba one of the greatest sopranos of her time.

  • The influence of Dame Nellie Melba is still felt in modern operatic practices.

Synonyms

Melba
vsDame Nellie Melba
8 8.7

The stage name of an Australian opera singer famous for her voice

is the formal titled name that includes an honorific for the same singer

Surface Forms

Morphology

dame + Nellie + Melba

A B1 learner who knows 'dame' and recognizes 'Nellie Melba' as a name can transparently infer this is an honorific title plus a woman's name, so basic referential function is clear. However, the specific biographical content (that she was an Australian operatic soprano renowned internationally) is not derivable from the constituents, so full meaning requires prior knowledge.

Etymology

Dame Nellie Melba took her stage name from her home city: she changed her family name to Melba from 'Melbourne'. The title Dame was later added as an 'honor' for her work in music, so today Dame Nellie Melba means the famous Australian opera singer.