Nelly Martyl (1 April 1884 – 9 November 1953) was a French opera singer based in Paris who participated in several world premieres. After making her professional debut in 1907 in Gluck's Armide, she joined the
Opéra-Comique, where she appeared as Micaela in Bizet's Carmen, Sophie in Massenet's Werther, Mimi in Puccini's La bohème and in the title role of Massenet's Manon, among others. During
World War I and the
1918 flu epidemic, she worked as a nurse and received the
Croix de Guerre for her service. After the war, she created a charitable medical foundation with automobile racer
Magdeleine Goüin. This photograph of Martyl was taken by the French photographer
Jean Reutlinger, probably between 1907 and 1912.Photograph credit:
Jean Reutlinger; restored by
Adam Cuerden