Nellie Melba

[[File:Philippe, Duke of Orléans.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans|Philippe, Duke of Orléans]]]]

[[File:Philippe, Duke of Orléans.jpg|thumb|left|upright|[[Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans|Philippe, Duke of Orléans]]]]

In the early 1890s, Melba embarked on an affair with [[Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans (1869–1926)|Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans]]. They were seen frequently together in London, which excited some gossip, but far more suspicion arose when Melba travelled across Europe to St Petersburg to sing for [[Nicholas II of Russia|Tsar Nicholas II]]: the Duke followed closely behind her, and they were spotted together in Paris, Brussels, Vienna and St Petersburg. Armstrong filed divorce proceedings on the grounds of Melba's adultery, naming the Duke as co-respondent; he was eventually persuaded to drop the case, but the Duke decided that a two-year African safari (without Melba) would be appropriate. He and Melba did not resume their relationship.''The Times'', 5 November 1891, p. 5; 6 November 1891, p. 9; 20 February 1892, p. 5; 17 February 1892, p. 13; 12 March 1892, p. 16; 14 March 1892, p. 3; and 24 March 1892, p. 3. In the first years of the decade, Melba appeared in the leading European opera houses, including Milan, Berlin and Vienna.

In the early 1890s, Melba embarked on an affair with [[Prince Philippe, Duke of Orléans]], pretender to the throne of France. They were seen frequently together in London, which excited some gossip, but far more suspicion arose when Melba travelled across Europe to St Petersburg to sing for Tsar [[Nicholas II]]: the Duke followed closely behind her, and they were spotted together in Paris, Brussels, Vienna and St Petersburg. Armstrong filed divorce proceedings on the grounds of Melba's adultery, naming the Duke as co-respondent; he was eventually persuaded to drop the case, but the Duke decided that a two-year African safari (without Melba) would be appropriate. He and Melba did not resume their relationship.''The Times'', 5 November 1891, p. 5; 6 November 1891, p. 9; 20 February 1892, p. 5; 17 February 1892, p. 13; 12 March 1892, p. 16; 14 March 1892, p. 3; and 24 March 1892, p. 3. In the first years of the decade, Melba appeared in the leading European opera houses, including Milan, Berlin and Vienna.

Melba sang the role of Nedda in ''[[Pagliacci]]'' at Covent Garden in 1893, soon after its Italian premiere. The composer was present and said that the role had never been so well played before.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B03E6D91031E033A25757C0A9609C94629ED7CF&scp=5&sq=Melba+AND+Pagliacci&st=p "A week's musical topics"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 4 June 1893. In December of that year, Melba sang at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in New York for the first time. As at her Covent Garden debut, she appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor and, as at Covent Garden, it was less than a triumph. ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised her performance – "one of the loveliest voices that ever issued from a human throat ... simply delicious in its fullness, richness and purity" – but the work was out of fashion, and the performances were poorly attended.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D02E1DF113BEF33A25756C0A9649D94629ED7CF&scp=15&sq=Melba+AND+Metropolitan&st=p {{"'}}Lucia' at the Opera"], ''The New York Times'', 5 December 1893. Her performance in ''Roméo et Juliette'', later in the season, was a triumph and established her as the leading prima donna of the time in succession to [[Adelina Patti]]. She had at first been nonplussed by the impenetrable snobbery at the Metropolitan; the author [[Peter Conrad (academic)|Peter Conrad]] has written, "In London she hobnobbed with royalty; in New York she was a singing menial." Assured of critical success, she set herself to achieve social recognition, and succeeded.{{sfn|Conrad|1987|p=249}}

Melba sang the role of Nedda in ''[[Pagliacci]]'' at Covent Garden in 1893, soon after its Italian premiere. The composer was present and said that the role had never been so well played before.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9B03E6D91031E033A25757C0A9609C94629ED7CF&scp=5&sq=Melba+AND+Pagliacci&st=p "A week's musical topics"], ''[[The New York Times]]'', 4 June 1893. In December of that year, Melba sang at the [[Metropolitan Opera]] in New York for the first time. As at her Covent Garden debut, she appeared as Lucia di Lammermoor and, as at Covent Garden, it was less than a triumph. ''[[The New York Times]]'' praised her performance – "one of the loveliest voices that ever issued from a human throat ... simply delicious in its fullness, richness and purity" – but the work was out of fashion, and the performances were poorly attended.[https://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9D02E1DF113BEF33A25756C0A9649D94629ED7CF&scp=15&sq=Melba+AND+Metropolitan&st=p {{"'}}Lucia' at the Opera"], ''The New York Times'', 5 December 1893. Her performance in ''Roméo et Juliette'', later in the season, was a triumph and established her as the leading prima donna of the time in succession to [[Adelina Patti]]. She had at first been nonplussed by the impenetrable snobbery at the Metropolitan; the author [[Peter Conrad (academic)|Peter Conrad]] has written, "In London she hobnobbed with royalty; in New York she was a singing menial." Assured of critical success, she set herself to achieve social recognition, and succeeded.{{sfn|Conrad|1987|p=249}}