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Dame Nellie Melba Celebration Performance

Ballarat Mechanics Institute

117-119 Sturt Street,
Ballarat Central VIC 3350

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  • Sun 18 May

2pm–4pm

$35 per person

$35 per person plus gst and booking fee – Includes a sumptous Devonshire Tea.

An afternoon of song, arias and duets.

The BMI in partnership with Melba Opera Trust.

Meet the 2025 Melba artists, as they perform a repertoire that celebrates the Birthday of Dame Nellie Melba – a program coming soon.

This event is hosted in partnership with the Melba Opera Trust and is part of the Australian Heritage Festival and the Ballarat Heritage Festival.

Featuring - Sophie Hamer - Aidan Hodder and Chloe James.

Melba Opera Trust, a legacy of the visionary soprano Dame Nellie Melba, delivers Australia’s leading development program for exceptional young opera singers and repetiteurs.

Nellie once said ‘in order to succeed in opera, you have to engage in the business of singing. A beautiful voice is not enough.’ This is at the heart of our philosophy: our artists are trained to be more than a voice, to be equipped with the skills they need to build sustainable careers.

The Melba Program, a year-long scholarship-funded program, supports artists from around Australia through a bespoke course of artistic development, mentoring in business, professional and personal skill development, and performance experience.

Following in Nellie’s footsteps, many of Melba’s talented alumni are realising their dreams and performing in opera houses around the world.

Join them to hear these future stars!

Includes a sumptous Devonshire Tea.

Content: The Ballaarat Mechanics Institute

Accessibility Information

  • Caters for people with sufficient mobility to climb a few steps but who would benefit from fixtures to aid balance. (This includes people using walking frames and mobility aids)
  • Caters for people who use a wheelchair.

Please note: The accessibility information above is provided by the business operator. For more information, please contact the business directly.

Visitor Information Centres

Ballarat Town Hall
225 Sturt Street
Ballarat VIC 3350

Ballarat Botanical Gardens
401-405 Wendouree Parade
Lake Wendouree VIC 3350

Acknowledgement of Country

Across Victoria’s Midwest, we acknowledge that we travel across the ancient landscapes of many First Peoples communities. These lands have been nurtured and cared for over tens of thousands of years and we respect the work of Traditional Custodians for their ongoing care and protection.

We recognise the past injustices against Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in this country. As our knowledge grows, we hope that we can learn from their resilience and creativity that has guided them for over 60,000 years. As we invite people to visit and explore Victoria’s Midwest, we ask that alongside us, you also grow to respect the stories, living culture and connection to Country of the Ancestors and Elders of our First Peoples.


©️ 2025 Visit Ballarat. This initiative is funded by the City of Ballarat and Tourism Midwest Victoria.