Australian operatic soprano Dame Nellie Melba was one of the most renowned singers of the late 19th and early 20th centuries. She was born in Melbourne, Australia in 1861 and began her career as a coloratura soprano in 1887. She became an international star after performing at Covent Garden in London in 1888. Her repertoire included works by composers such as Verdi, Wagner, and Puccini. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918.