Feodosiya Velinskaya

Russian operatic soprano (b. 1858; d. 1929), born Feodosya Nikolayevna Ushakova; (Феодосия Николаевна Ушакова); known on stage as Feodosya Nikitichna Velinskaya (Феодосия Никитична Велинская).

Although lacking a professional musical education, Velinskaya made her stage debut in Kiev in 1871 as Marguerite in Gounod's Faust. After spending two years in Kharkov (1875–76), she became a soloist at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg (1877–87), before making guest appearances at the Bolshoi Theatre in Moscow. From 1895, Velinskaya was a soloist at the Panayevsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg, where she spent twelve years before touring the Russian provinces. César Cui rated her talents very highly.

Correspondence with Tchaikovsky

One letter from Tchaikovsky to Feodosya Velinskaya has survived, dating from 1887, and has been translated into English on this website:

• Letter 3414 – 20 November/2 December 1887, from Maydanovo

One undated letter from Feodosya Velinskaya to the composer is preserved in the Klin House-Museum Archive.