Emma Nevada (7^th February 1859 to 20^th June 1940)

Emma was of the finest coloratura soprano opera singers who was born in California and has her portrait on Bellini’s monument in Naples. Strangely she now lies here at the back of a graveyard in Crosby in Merseyside.

Born in California Emma Wixom spent her early childhood in Nevada (from which she took her stage name). With an absorbent ear she studied languages (including sign language) at college in California as well as music. It was the latter that claimed her though and she made her stage debut aged 21 in an opera at Her Majesty's Theatre in London. With a sublime voice she performed in Milan in 1881 and Paris in 1883. From here she toured America with an opera company.

Having seen most of the world she ended up here through love. Aged 55 she met an English physician who later became her manager. The married in Paris and made a home there though after her last performance in Berlin in 1910 she retired from the stage after five decades and moved to Merseyside. She taught singing and died aged 81. There's a steam locomotive train named after her. She seems to be buried alone so I'm not sure why her husband hasn't joined her.

The grave is a few feet from the soap opera actress Pat Phoenix.