Nellie Melba, the operatic soprano who inspired the dish Peach Melba, is portrayed here as the stereotypical Wagnerian soprano: horned helmet, brass bra, spear and shield, generous figure. In reality, Melba was a svelte woman, and, as a primarily lyric soprano, only very rarely (and seldom successfully) sang the Wagner dramatic soprano roles, specializing instead in roles such as Mimi in La Boheme, Nedda in Pagliacci, and the title role in Lucia di Lammermoor.