Stella Power

Tertia Stella Power (27 June 1896 – 16 January 1977) was an Australian soprano.

Stella Power, c.1934

Early life and education

Power was born in Camperdown, Victoria, to customs officer Edward John Power and Annie Elizabeth Power, née O'Brien.

She was an early student of Nellie Melba at her school of singing in Albert Street, East Melbourne and was given the name "the Little Melba" by Melba herself.[1]

Career

She travelled to the United States in 1918, to join Melba. She made her American debut in Philadelphia, then sang with the Boston Symphony Orchestra, conducted by Mischa Elman. Her tour ended in Los Angeles.[2] While in the USA, she was recorded by Thomas A. Edison, Inc., and on a later tour of England she was recorded by His Master's Voice.[1] Her London debut was on 23 November 1919, when she appeared at the Royal Albert Hall with Landon Ronald's orchestra.[3] In 1926 she returned to the USA on a ten-year contract to Paramount Pictures to sing in picture theatres, touring for 45 weeks a year and performing four or five shows every day.[4][5]

In 1937 she gave live concerts on ABC radio 3AR with fellow-Melburnian Frederick Collier.[6]

Personal

Power married William O'Rourke at St Patrick's Cathedral, Melbourne on 17 December 1918.[7][8] She received a monogrammed suitcase as a wedding gift from Dame Nellie Melba.[9]

They had one son, known as Billy.[1]

Power died at Charman Private Hospital in Cheltenham, Victoria.[10] Survived by her son, she was buried at the Cheltenham Memorial Cemetery.[11]

References
  1. Dunbar-Hall, Peter, "Power, Stella (1896–1977)", Australian Dictionary of Biography, Canberra: National Centre of Biography, Australian National University, retrieved 29 June 2021
  2. "At the Threshold of Fame". Graphic of Australia. No. 127. Victoria, Australia. 21 June 1918. p. 13. Retrieved 29 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  3. "Our London Letter". Advocate. Vol. LII, no. 2468. Victoria, Australia. 10 January 1920. p. 23. Retrieved 30 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  4. "Personal". The Herald. No. 15, 271. Victoria, Australia. 30 April 1926. p. 5. Retrieved 30 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  5. Australasian Radio Relay League (1 March 1935), "Stella Power in America (1 March 1935)", The Wireless Weekly, Wireless Press, 25 (9), retrieved 30 June 2021
  6. "Ballad Recital". The Camperdown Chronicle. Vol. LIX, no. 7003. Victoria, Australia. 9 December 1937. p. 3. Retrieved 8 April 2022 – via National Library of Australia.
  7. "Family Notices". Table Talk. No. 1743. Victoria, Australia. 19 December 1918. p. 29. Retrieved 29 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  8. "Australian Song Bird Takes a Mate". Table Talk. No. 1744. Victoria, Australia. 26 December 1918. p. 15. Retrieved 29 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  9. "Young Singer Married". The Herald. No. 13, 375. Victoria, Australia. 17 December 1918. p. 3. Retrieved 29 June 2021 – via National Library of Australia.
  10. "Deaths". The Age (Melbourne). 19 January 1977.
  11. "Stella Power (1896–1977)". Find A Grave. Retrieved 29 June 2021.
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