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"**A Toast to Melba**"
"A Toast to Melba"
Australian Theatre Festival episode
Directed by	Alan Burke
Written by	Jack Hibberd
Based on	play by Jack Hibberd
Original air date	1980
Running time	85 mins

A Toast to Melba
A Toast to Melba
Written by	Jack Hibberd
Characters	Dame Nellie Melba; Caruso; Treacle O'Kane; Madame Marchesi; Buffalo Bill; Lady de Grey; George Bernard Shaw; The Duke of Orleans; Sir Thomas Beecham; Neville Cardus; Oscar Wilde; Frank Wedekind; Mayor of Brisbane;
Date premiered	1976
Place premiered	Adelaide Festival
Original language	English
Genre	Drama

A Toast to Melba is a 1976 Australian play by Jack Hibberd. A biography of Dame Nellie Melba, Hibberd described it as:

Another 'Popular Play' like The Les Darcy Show. Using the Epic Theatre techniques of Bertolt Brecht (without politics), the play encompasses the life of diva Nellie Melba from childhood in Melbourne to her death in Egypt (alleged dying words: "I never did like Aida.")... The actress who plays Melba must be able to sing a few arias and parlour songs. There is a selection of recorded music that is essential to the work.^[1]

The play is one of Hibberd's personal favourites.^[2]

1980 TV adaptation

The play was adapted with Robyn Nevin in the title role by the ABC in 1980 as part of the Australian Theatre Festival.^[3]^[4]

Alan Burke's direction won him a Sammy Award.^[5] The production was much praised and was sold abroad.^[6]

References

^ "A Toast to Melba", jackhibberd.com, accessed 30 July 2013
^ "Interview with Jack Hibberd", Stage Whispers, accessed 30 July 2013
^ Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970–1995, Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 154 ISBN 9780195539493
^ "Dame Nellie Melba in counterpoint" by Jane McCredie, The Age, 31 July 1980, via Google News. Accessed 15 May 2022
^ "Gold Sammy award winners". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 459. Australian Capital Territory. 18 October 1980. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.
^ "Alan Burke, Errol Flynn and theatre adventures". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 16, 920. Australian Capital Territory. 24 January 1982. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.

External links

[1] "A Toast to Melba", jackhibberd.com, accessed 30 July 2013

[2] "Interview with Jack Hibberd", Stage Whispers, accessed 30 July 2013

[3] Scott Murray, Australia on the Small Screen 1970–1995, Oxford University Press, 1996, p. 154 ISBN 9780195539493

[4] "Dame Nellie Melba in counterpoint" by Jane McCredie, The Age, 31 July 1980, via Google News. Accessed 15 May 2022

[5] "Gold Sammy award winners". The Canberra Times. Vol. 55, no. 16, 459. Australian Capital Territory. 18 October 1980. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.

[6] "Alan Burke, Errol Flynn and theatre adventures". The Canberra Times. Vol. 56, no. 16, 920. Australian Capital Territory. 24 January 1982. p. 8. Retrieved 9 February 2017 – via National Library of Australia.

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