  In frames of a rather conventional cluster approach, which combines the
crystal field and the ligand field models we have considered different charge
transfer (CT) states and O 2p-Mn 3d CT transitions in MnO$_{6}^{9-}$ octahedra.
  The many-electron dipole transition matrix elements were calculated using the
Racah algebra for the cubic point group. Simple "local" approximation allowed
to calculate the relative intensity for all dipole-allowed $\pi -\pi$ and
$\sigma -\sigma$ CT transitions. We present a self-consistent description of
the CT bands in insulating stoichiometric LaMn$^{3+}$O$_3$ compound with the
only Mn$^{3+}$ valent state and idealized octahedral MnO$_{6}^{9-}$ centers
which allows to substantially correct the current interpretation of the optical
spectra. Our analysis shows the multi-band structure of the CT optical response
with the weak low-energy edge at 1.7 eV, associated with forbidden
$t_{1g}(\pi)-e_{g}$ transition and a series of the weak and strong
dipole-allowed high-energy transitions starting from 2.5 and 4.5 eV,
respectively, and extending up to nearly 11 eV. The most intensive features are
associated with two strong composite bands near $4.6\div 4.7$ eV and $8\div 9$
eV, respectively, resulting from the superposition of the dipole-allowed
$\sigma -\sigma$ and $\pi -\pi$ CT transitions. These predictions are in good
agreement with experimental spectra. The experimental data point to a strong
overscreening of the crystal field parameter $Dq$ in the CT states of
MnO$_{6}^{9-}$ centers.
