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# Licia's Letter Scene
- URL: https://oberons-vale.ghost.io/licias-letter-scene/
- Published: 2026-09-15T18:23:53.000Z
- Updated: 2026-09-15T18:29:04.000Z
- Author: Oberon

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/d4/f9/d4f9c027-5a59-47b4-a6ef-cadbd0b728ad/content/images/2026/09/licia-albanese-c.jpg)

The celebrated Italian soprano Licia Albanese learned Tatyana’s *Letter Scene* from **EUGENE ONEGIN** in Russian at the request of Leopold Stokowski especially for this recording. Albanese reportedly coached the aria with the Russian-born baritone George Cehanovsky, a Met *comprimario* mainstay who was married to Elisabeth Rethberg.

EUGEN ONEGIN Letter Scene Licia Albanese Stokowski cond

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I saw Licia Albanese twice in the final years of her career: first at the Cincinnati Summer Opera in 1963 as Violetta in **TRAVIATA**, and secondly in her final performance as Cio-Cio-San in **MADAMA BUTTERFLY** (her signature role) at the Old Met in 1965.

Many years later, when I was working at Tower Records, Madame Albanese came into the opera room one afternoon with a minder. She seemed quite fragile, but smiled when I greeted her, kissed her hand, and told her I had seen her as Violetta in Cincinnati. "Oh!" said her companion..."...at the Zoo?" Licia perked up, and began making animal noises: roaring lions and screeching birds often interrupted performances at the Zoo/Opera. After a few more moments of browsing, the two women took their leave.