Licia Albanese was an Italian-born American operatic soprano. Noted especially for her portrayals of the lyric heroines of Verdi and Puccini, Albanese was a leading artist with the Metropolitan Opera from 1940 to 1966. She also made many recordings and was chairwoman of The Licia Albanese-Puccini Foundation, which is dedicated to assisting young artists and singers.
In April, 1966, when the Metropolitan Opera moved from its storied old home in 39th Street and Broadway to it new one at Lincoln Center, Albanese sang Cio-Cio-San's aria "un Bel Di" at the farewell gala at the old Met. At the aria's end, she knelt, kissed her hand and touched it to the stage. After the opera house was torn down, The Times reported in 1997, Albanese cold be seen on some fine days standing amid the rubble, dressed, as if in mourning weeds, in her Butterfly kimono. Clips of her arias are available on YouTube.
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