Dame Nellie Melba was an Australian opera singer and one of the most famous sopranos of the late Victorian era. She was born Helen Porter Mitchell in 1861 and later adopted the stage name Nellie Melba. In addition to her singing career, she was also a successful businesswoman and philanthropist. Her most famous roles included Violetta in La Traviata and Lucia in Lucia di Lammermoor. She was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1918.