110334 rr RomMelba1EU 22/10/2004 04:16pm Page 1 CMYK N 8.110334 Nellie Melba Playing AXOS Historical ADD The Complete American Recordings, Vol. 1 Time h broadcasting and copying of this compact disc prohibited. translaations reserved. Unauthorised public performance, All rights in this sound recording, artwork, texts and 69:39 & 1907 8.110334 g 2004 Naxos Rights International Ltd. 1 VERDI: Rigoletto: Caro nome Helen Porter Mitchell adopted the 2 PUCCINI: La bohème: Sì, mi chiamano Mimì 3 PUCCINI: La bohème: O soave fanciulla * professional name, Melba, to 4 PUCCINI: Tosca: Vissi d’arte acknowledge her Australian birthplace, Melbourne. In 1887 she 5 GOUNOD: Faust: Ah! Je ris de me voir si belle 1 Vol. American Recordings, The Complete MELBA: [Air des bijoux] made her operatic début in Brussels 6 VERDI: La traviata: Ah! fors’ è lui... Sempre libera as Gilda, eventually winning acclaim 7 PUCCINI: La bohème: Donde lieta uscì al tuo grido at Covent Garden, the Metropolitan d’amore Opera and most of the leading opera 8 TOSTI: Good-bye houses of the world. This volume is the 9 TOSTI: La Serenata † first of a series of three Naxos discs 0 BLANGINI: Per valli, per boschi ‡ containing all the known recordings ! BEMBERG: Un ange est venu ‡ Melba made for the Victor Talking @ HAHN: Si mes vers avaient des ailes † # MOZART: Le nozze di Figaro: Voi che sapete Machine in Camden, New Jersey, and $ THOMAS: Hamlet: A vos jeux, mes amis, New York. The 1907 recordings permettez-moi de grâce [Mad Scene part 1] document some of Melba’s greatest % THOMAS: Hamlet: Pâle et blonde, dort sous l’eau hits with audiences of the period. profonde [Mad Scene part 2] Although the voice is recorded ^ ARDITI: Se saran rose somewhat distantly, there is a & DONIZETTI: Lucia di Lammermoor: Alfin son tua naturalness of sound which allows [Mad Scene] ° Melba’s clean attacks, steadiness of * BISHOP: Lo! Here the gentle lark ° tone and the bloom in her voice as it ( HANDEL: Il penseroso: Sweet Bird ° rises in a climactic phrase, to be heard ) TOSTI: Mattinata without the edgy, strident quality that MELBA: The Complete American Recordings, Vol. 1 Vol. American Recordings, The Complete MELBA: * with Enrico Caruso, Tenor † with Ada Sassoli, Harp characterises some of the more MADE IN ‡ with Charles Gilibert, Baritone powerful and brilliant recordings THE EU ° with Charles K. North, Flute made after 1909. Producer and Audio Restoration Engineer: Ward Marston Special thanks to Neil Forster, Harry Glaze, Lawrence Holdridge, 8.110334 Peter Lack and Jim Peters • Previously released on Romophone www.naxos.com A complete track list can be found in the booklet AXOS Historical Cover image: Nellie Melba’s début at the Théâtre de la Monnaie, N Brussels, 1887, as Gilda. (Lebrecht Music & Arts).