Gala Farewell, April 16, 1966, at 8.00
The Old Metropolitan Opera

The New York MET was going to be opened in the newly built Lincoln Centre on September 16, 1966.

In the 1970s various pirate record labels were created specifically by people who loved rare live performances not being issued by the big labels. Radio stations broadcasted forums and discussions, they produced live broadcasts of performances in concert halls and opera houses. The quality of these live performances varied. But very often these productions had performers, artists, singers, and instrumentalists with well known names.

Members of small record clubs and typically opera discussion groups talked about what was happening in the world of music and often regretted not having been able to attend this or that performance. A few people realized that there was a niche in the market for rare performances and often historic performances. The result was that a few pirate record labels came into exsistence to serve the die-hard, the expert and amateur, the collector. They all wanted something special, not the mass product, but the rare and ephemere performance with the soul of the music recorded on the spur of the moment, be it more or less perfect.

One of those labels was MRF maintained by Mauro R. Fuggette. (Other labels were Melodram from Germany, and Foyer.) Generally the records were pressed in Italy and the quality of matrix and pressings were good. That could not always be said of the quality of the sound recording. Some recordings were made from radio broadcasts which had been taped by opera buffs, already in the late 1940s when the tape recorder had become available. And when Philips had introduced the Compact Cassette, many a music lover took the small recorder to the performance and hung the little microphones just over the balcony and adjusted the recording level during the performance to get the best sound possible on the tiny unwinding small tape with even smaller tracks. Some of these were also issued on LP.

Gala Farewell at the Old Met. MRF-7. 3 LP box. Issued 1981. Box mechanically NM. Front VG because of shelf wear. Records NM. Sound quality of old radio sound. Simple Inlay with program EX. Label states "Private recording not for sale".

Gala Farewell. MRF-7. 3xLP. Private recording issued in 1981. Box VG to NM. Records NM. Inlay EX. $22.

Wolfgang Sawallisch at Bayreuth

Richard Wagner:

Tannhäuser and the Singers' Contest at Wartburg Castle

Live recording of the 1962 performance led by Wolfgang Sawallisch

Josef Greindl - Bass
Wolfgang Windgassen - Tenor
Eberhardt Wächter - Bariton
Gerhard Stolze - Tenor
Franz Crass - Bass
Georg Paskuda - Tenor
Gerd Nienstedt - Bass
Anja Silja - Soprano
Grace Bumbry - Mezzo-soprano
Else-Margrete Gardelli - Soprano

Orchestra and Chorus of the Bayreuther Festspiele. Chorus director - Wilhelm Pitz
Direction and staging - Wieland Wagner

There is a controversy about this performance. Not because of the effdort os able conductor Wolfgang Sawallisch. But because of the so called "New Bayreuth" shaped by Wieland Wagner the grandson of Richard Wagner. According to critics he knew less about his grandfather's work than his father Siegfried, son of Richard, would know.
Despite this or just maybe because of that heritage, and the mixing of the Dresden and Paris editions, this recording is a historic document.

Philips HiFi Stereo 835 178/179/180 AY - ED.1. Records EX to VG+. Book NM. Notes in German, English and French. Libretto in German with side notes in German, English and French. Box NM.

Wagner Tannäuser-Sawallisch-Bayreuth-Windgassn, Wächter, Stolze, Bumbry, Greindl et al. 1962 live recording. Philips 835 178/79/80. Records EX to VG+. Book and Box NM. $ 24.

Giacomo Rossini:

Il barbieri di Seviglia
The Barber of Seville

Fiorello – Calvin Marsh
Count Almaviva – Cesare Valletti
Figaro – Robert Merrill
Rosina – Roberta Peters
Dr. Bartolo – Fernando Corena
Berta – Margaret Roggero
Ambrogio – Carlo Tomanelli
Don Basilio – Giorgio Tozzi
A Sergeant - Calvin Marsh
Metropolitain Orchestra and Chorus conducted by Erich Leinsdorf.


This is the first edition of this recording published by Decca, the company that had a contract with RCA. RCA recordings would appear in Great Britain on the British RCA label maintained by Decca. Certain recordings were made in cooperation with British Decca.
The matrices of this production are of course cut by Decca Engineers and the records pressed by Decca as well. Matrices: J2RY 7511 to 7518 ID by Decca. Low (early) Buckingham coded plates indicating mother number and stamper: Side 1 : 1 C - Side 8: 1U - Side 2: 1U - Side 7: 1C - Side 3: 1C - Side 6: 1U - Side 4: 1C - Side 5: 1U.

RCA-Victor Red Seal SER 4512/3/4/5Condition: Records M- to EX except for Side 7 which has 20 ticks and 20 softer unobtrusive ticks that do not prevent enjoying the performance. Original plastic gatefold: EX.

The EMI recording with Maria Calas was rated as the performance with the highest artistic level, ably conducted by Alceo Galliera. The Leinsdorf recording was also very well received. It was a Met production that RCA wanted to put on record. Therefor Capitol granted permission to Leinsdorf's appearance on RCA. Warren Demotte evaluated the recording as follows: "The Leinsdorf performance is engaging, incisive and zestful, with intelligent, capable singing and playing, plus excellent recording." This recording was first published on 4 discs, later reduced to 3 and after a few years brought back to 2 records only.

Leinsdorf-Rossini-Barber of Seville. Marsh-Valetti-Merrill-Peters-Corena-Tozzi. Metropolitan Opera. UK RCA-Decca SER 4512/5. 4xLP. Records M- to EX. Gatefold EX. $ 22.

Leonard Bernstein conducts Richard Wagner:

TRISTAN UND ISOLDE

Peter Hofmann - Tristan
Hildegard Behrens - Isolde
Yvonne Minton - Brangäne
Bernd Weikl - Kurwenal
Hans Sotin - Kònig Marke

Chorus of the Bavarian Radio
Symphony Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio

Leonard Bernstein is a master in conveying the deepest feelings. He did this in many performances and recordings of various composers. His Mahler Symphonies do show this clearly. Wagner is of course a completely different composer and author. Bernstein's captivating mastery is right there, also in Tristan and Isolde already in the Prelude (Vorspiel). I dare say that never the Prelude was conducted and shaped so extraordinarily as Bernstein has done. If you want more info on this extraordinary Philips set, you can visit various sites with reviews written by laymen and professionals alike. This is obviously an item for the Bernstein fan who is a Wagner adept at the same time.

Philips 6769 091 - 5x LP. Digital recording from 1983. Individual discs 6514 236/ 237/ 238/ 239/ 240. Records are beautiful NM. Box NM. Heavy book contains comprehensive introductions about the recording and Wagner's Master Piece, and libretto. The text is in German, English and French. In short a pristine item.

This is a heavy item, typically because of the heavy book. Yet it still falls into the up to 2 kg. shipping category.

Wagner-Tristan und Isolde-Bernstein-Chorus and Orchestra of the Bavarian Radio. Philips 6769 091. Digital recording (DDA) 1980. Records, book and box NM. $ 32.

Richard Wagner:

Der Ring des Nibelungen.

Famous complete recording of the Ring Cycle made by Decca (recorded in the SonicStage process concieved by John Culshaw), conducted by Sir Georg Solti, recorded in Vienna with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra, Vienna State Opera Choir, and soloists/ singers/ performers.

"When we began our recording of Das Rheingold in 1958 there were naturally misgivings in Decca as to how the public would react to the project, although we had been very encouraged by the reception of our recording of Die Walküre Act III.
On the one hand we had no doubt that Wagner's Ring cycle ought to be recorded since, apart from the well recognised greatness of the score, (...) but any serious sign of coolness from the record-buying public would certainly kill our hope of completing the cycle.
In the event our fears proved groundless. Das Rheingold met with a sensational response and in 1959 won the most coveted award, the Grand Prix du Disque Mondiale of the Académie du Disque Français. This honor was also subsequently awarded in 1966 to Die Walküre, in 1964 to Siegfried, and in 1965 to Götterdämmerung.
The recording of these four masterpieces was a truly wonderful experience, and with the tireless and enthousiastic organisation of our producer, John Culshaw, supported with enormous drive by his chief engineer, Gordon Parry, and his willing team of technicians, the actual recording could not have been in better hands.(...)" - Sir Georg Solti.

(Text taken from the book of the Introduction by Deryck Cooke.)

The set consists of:

Introduction to DER RING DES NIBELUNGEN (3x LP) by Deryck Cooke Recorded 1968 - Matrix numbers: ZAL 8422/ 23/ 24/ 25/ 26/ 27

DAS RHIENGOLD (3x LP)
Recorded 1958 - Matrix numbers ZAL 4260/ 61/ 62/ 63/ 64/ 65.
Jean Madeira, Set Svanholm, George London, Kirsten Flagstad. Claire Watson, Gustav Neidlinger, Kurt Böhme, Eberhard Wächter, Walter Kreppel

DIE WALKÜRE (5x LP) -
Recorded 1966 - Matrix numbers ZAL 7131/ 32/ 33/ 34/ 35/ 36/ 37/ 38/ 39/ 40.
Gottlob Frick, Regine Crespin, James King, Brigit Nilsson, Christa Ludwig

SIEGFRIED (5x LP)
Recorded 1963 - Matrix numbers ZAL 5742/ 43/ 44/ 45/ 46/ 47/ 48/ 49/ 50/ 51
Wolfgang Windgassen, Brigit Nilsson, Hans Hotter, Gerhard Stolze, Gustav Neidlinger, Kurt Bohme, Marga Hoffgen

GÖTTERDÄMMERUNG (6x LP)
Recorded 1965 - Matrix numbers ZAL 6673/ 74/ 75/ 76/ 77/ 78/ 79/ 80/ 81/ 82/ 83/ 84
Briget Nilsson, Wolfgang Windgassen, Gustav Neidlinger, Gottlob Frick, Claire Watson Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau, Christa Ludwig, Lucia Popp, Gwyneth Jones, Maureen Guy, Helen Watts, Grace Hoffman, Anita Välkki

Additional information: See the page about Astrid Varnay who performed in 1951 in Bayreuth and why she was not selected by Decca to perform in these recordings.

Decca 22x LP. Records are NM to EX+. Covers are NM and glossy. Books are NM. Individual slipcases are M- because of fading of the gold lettering. Large outer box is M- too.

Shipment of this box per Registered Insured Mail to EU countries is $ 45, to other European countries it is $ 50. To countries outside the European Union shipment is $ 90.

Wagner-Ring des Nibelungen-Solti-Vienna. Decca 22x LP. Records NM to EX+. Books NM. Sleeves are NM. Slipcases M-. Outer box M-. $ 220

Leonard Bernstein: Candide
Opera Version from 1982

In response to requests from opera companies for a more legitimate version, the original show was expanded to become a two-act "opera house version" which contains most of Bernstein's music, including some songs that were not orchestrated for the original production of the musical of 1956 performed on Broadway. This new version was first performed by the New York City Opera under the direction of Harold Prince. It ran for thirty-four performances. Opera companies around the world have performed this version, and the production was a staple of New York City Opera's repertoire. See Wikipedia. For more info about the histpory of the NYCO, click here.

Cast:
John Lankston - David Eisler - Erie Mills - Scott Reeve - Maris Clement - Robert Brubaker - Ivy Austin - Rhoda Butler - Don Yule - William Ledbetter -Maria Dopnaldi - Joyce Castle - James Billings - Jack Harold - Ralph Bassett

New York City Opera Chorus and Orchestra conducted by John Mauceri

Recorded by RCA technicians using RCA's technique, in May, 1985, in the Manhattan Center, New York, using the Soundstream Digital Recording System.

New World NW 340/341. Records NM. Cover NM, except for a hardly noticeable crease at upper right corner.

Candide (Bernstein)-NYCO-John Mauceri.1982 production. 2x LP. New World NW 340/341. Records NM. Cover NM. $ 14.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:
Die Zauberflöte - The Magic Flute - La flûte enchantée

Hilde Gueden - Soprano / Wilma Lipp - Soprano / Emmy Loose - Soprano / Leopold Simoneau - Tenor / Kurt Böhme - Bass / Walter Berry - Baritone / Paul Schoeffler - Bass-Baritone / August Jaresch - Tenor / Judith Hellwig - Soprano / Christa Ludwig - Mezzo-Soprano / Hilde Roessel-Majdan - Mezzo-Soprano / Dorothea Siebert - Soprano / Ruthilde Boesch - Mezzo-Soprano / Eva Boerner - Contralto / Joseph Gostic - Tenor / Ljubomir Pantscheff - Bass / Erich Majkut - Tenor / Harald Pröglhöf - Bass
The Vienna State Opera Chorus
The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Karl Bohm
Matrix numbers: ZAL 2662-2D / ZAL 2667-3D / ZAL 2664-2D / ZAL 2665-2D / ZAL 2663-2D / ZAL 2666-2D

Beautiful sound is very well recognizable. But in loud passages of loud voices, and in passages of the chorus, specifically the chorus at the end of the opera (Side 6) there is some distortion. The best way to play these records with is a cartridge with a fine line or fine elliptical tip that rides sufficiently in the groove and not high on the edges of the groove as a spherical diamond tip does. Evidently the lacquers were cut with good dynamics.
Therefor the quality has been rated while listening to all sides and it goes from M- to EX. The box is EX to VG+. This recording is worth having because of the work and the artists. It is unique because of the early date of this stereo recording. For others the item fils a gap in the opera discography or of individual singers, the conductor, or the discography of DECCA.

This is a relatively rare early Decca stereo recording of the performance taped in 1954. It was first issued in mono in November 1955 and was only released in stereo in June 1960 after the stereo format had been launched in September of 1958.

Decca SXL 2215-17 - 3 Disc Set - Original Wideband (ED1) 'Original Recording' Grooved Labels - Boxed edition - Includes Original Libretto.

Mozart-Bohm-Zauberflöte. Gueden-Simoneau-Ludwig et al. Decca SXL 2215/16/17. Records M- to EX. Box EX. Book NM. Original sleeves. $ 125.

Ettore Gracis conducts

Caetano Donizetti: IL CAMPANELLO

Complete recording on 1 LP

Emma Bruno De Sanctis - Flora Raffanelli - Mario Guggio - Alfredo Mariotti - Alberto Rinaldi

Chorus and Orchestra of theTeatro La Fenice.

Chorus master: Mario Lazzarini. Harpsichord: Alfredo Lazzarini.

Deutsche Grammophon 139 123 from April, 1966. Record EX. Cover EX-. Complete libretto (Italian and English) M-.

Donizetti - Campanello - Gracis et al. Deutsche Grammophon 139 123. Record EX. Cover EX-. Libretto M-. $ 8.

Leos Janacek: Aus einem Totenhaus - From the House of the Dead

Soloists, Choir and Orchestra of the Netherlands Opera. Conductor Alexander Krannhals. Holland Festival Live recording on June 25th, 1954

Philips A 00229 L and A 00230 L. Records VG. Sound is better than looks. Spiralled album VG (some staining on the back, dent on front, upper left). Liner notes in English. Libretto in German.

Festivals are generally the events where daring productions will materialize. Through the years Holland Festivals have produced many remarkable performances of often neglected works. As such, The House of the Dead, which had a turbulent history because of the untimely death of Janacek, was a special event in those years. In 1953 Jascha Horenstein conducted a performance in Paris and one year later Alexander Krannhals did the same in Amsterdam. The cast consisted practically entirely of Dutch artists (singers and dancers) and one or two foreigners who had joined the Netherlands Opera.

Janacek-From the House of the Dead, Netherlands Opera 1954. Krannhals. Philips 2x LP A00229/20L. Records VG. Album VG. $ 19.

George Gershwin: Porgy and Bess

Lorin Maazel, the Cleveland Orchestra and outstanding cast.
This is the super audio quality recording listed by The Absolute Sound

This outstanding recording does not need an introduction to the Gershwin fans, audiophiles and lovers of the verismo opera (so to speak). This work encompasses all elements of real life, also in this day and age: sex, love, missery and beauty, a compelling experience to listen to and if necessary to follow the libretto. It is the first and probably only classical work with a poignant rap (Maria addressing Sportin' Life). Right from the day this 3 Lp boxed set was released, its popularity never faded. See also Porgy & Bess.

Willard White, Leona Mitchell, McHenry Boatwright, Florence Quivar, Barbara Hendricks, Barbara Conrad, Arthur Thompson, François Clemmons, James Vincent Pickens, Samual Hagan, William Brown, etc.

Lorin Maazel is conducting the Cleveland Orchestra Chorus (Robert Page, director), the Cleveland Children's Chorus (Becky Seredick, director) and The Cleveland Orchestra.

The set offered here is NM. The book and box are NM as well.

Porgy and Bess. Maazel - Cleveland. 3x LP DECCA SET 609 - 610 - 611. British pressing. Records, Box and Book NM. $ 25.

George Gershwin: Porgy and Bess

This Goddard Lieberson production which was released in 1951 was the first that made people realize that Gershwin's work is definitly an opera and not a musical. The casting was extraordinary: Camilla Williams who had made her debut with the New York City Opera Company, Lawrence Winters who received world fame, Avon Long, who had been cast already under Alexander Smallens, the 'rough' Warren Coleman, and all those stars that provided for a fascinating and strong performance under the direction of able conductor Lehman Engel.

This is the 3 LP record set in a book with a spiraled spine that was issued by Philips on their early Minigroove label.

For details see the page about Porgy & Bess. I have two sets (one for me to keep) and they are both the same quality.

Philips Minigroove labels A 01115 L / A 01116 L / A 01117 L . Book is EX. The book contains full libretto and text created by Ira Gershwin and author Du Bose Heyward. The records are EX to M-. The book is EX (front) tot VG+ (back).

After cleaning I have slipped the LPs in new Nagaoka inner sleeves. For your convenience I will add 3 new lined white paper sleeves in case you like to use these instead of the 'slippery' Nagaoka sleeves that ar not always easy to handle.

Porgy and Bess-Williams-Winters-Engel-Lieberson. 3x LP Philips Minigroove A 01115/6/7/ L. Records EX to M-. Book EX/VG. $ 15.

Ludwig van Beethoven:

Fidelio
Opera in Two Acts

Kieth Engen
Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau
Ernst Haefliger
Siegmar Schneider
Leonie Rysanek
Anne Kersten
Gottlob Frick
Wilhelm Borchert
Irmgard Seefried
Ruth Hellberg
Friedrich Lenz
Wolfgang Spier

Chorus of the Bavarian State Opera

Bavarian State Orchestra

Ferenc Fricsay - conductor

Deutsche Grammophon LPM 18390 / 391. In box. Issued in the Fall of 1958. Mono edition. Records NM. Box M-. Book NM. Liner notes in German, French and English.

Beethoven-Fidelio-Fricsay-Soloists-Bavaria Chorus and Orchestra. Deutsche Grammophon LPM18390/1. Box M-. Records NM. Book NM. $ 25.

Giaccomo Puccini: Madama Butterfly

Butterfly - Clara Petrella
Pinkerton: Ferruccio Tagliavini
Suzuki: Mafalda Masini
Sharpless: Giuseppe Taddei
Goro: Mariano Caruso
Lo Zio Bonzo: Antonio Biancarlo
Kate Pinkerton: Maria Cristina
Foscale Il Principe Yamadori: Alberto Albertini
Il Commissario Imperiale: Alberto Marella
Yakuside: Alberto Marella
L'Ufficiale del Registro: Antonio Biancardo
La Madre: Carla Lazzari
La Zia: Renata Pagetti
La Gugina: Maria Darbesi

Symphonic Orchestra of the Italian Radio and Television of Turin conducted by Angelo Questa. Instructor of the Chorus: Giulio Mogliotti.

Recorded 1953.

Cetra 1248. 3x LP - 6 sides: 1015/1020 - 1016/1019 - 1017/1018. Flat pancake pressings made in Italy.

Records VG to VG+. Box NM. Book VG, front page loose. Beautiful set. Scans do not do justice to the beauty of it. Fascinating performance.

Butterfly - Questo - Petrella - Tagliavini - RAI Torino Orchestra and Chorus. Cetra 1248. Records and Box NM. $ 24.

Richard Wager (1813-1883)
Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg

Herbert von Karajan conducts the Staatskapelle Dresden.

Singers: Helen Donath - Ruth Hesse - Theo Adam - Karl Ridderbusch - Eberhard Büchner - Horst Lunov - Geraint Evans - Zoltan Kéléman - Rene Kollo - Peter Schreier - Kurt Moll, et al.

EMI HMV Angel Series C 193-02 174/8. 5x LP. Gold labels. Records M- to NM. Box NM. Book M-. Liner notes in English and German includes chapters about the aspects of this specific recording, the Dresden State Orchestra, and Wagner's link to Dresden. Complete libretto in German and English. Heavy box. Recorded in co-operation with VEB Deutsche Schallplatten (Eterna, GDR). Recording first published in 1972.

This edition weighs 1800 gr. It falls in the category up to 5 kg. So it is advised to order a few more records.

Wagner - Meistersinger - Dresden State Orchestra - Von Karajan - Donath, Hesse, Ridderbusch et al. EMI HMV Angel Series C 193-02 174/8. Records NM to M-. Box NM. Book M-. $ 20.

Richard Wager (1813-1883)

Szenen aus Wagner's Musik-Dramen
Scenes from Wagner's Music Dramas:

Wotan's Abschied und Feuerzauber - Wotan's Farewell and Magic Fire - Die Walküre - 3rd Act

Dass der mein Vater nicht ist - That he is not my father - Siegfried - 2nd Act

Blumenmädchen Szene - Flower Maidens Scene -
Parsifal - 2nd Act

Paul Schoeffler - Franz Lechleitner - Günther Treptow

Chorus of the Vienna State Opera
Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by Rudolf Moralt and Hans Knappertsbusch

German DECCA NLXT 2566, pressed from original Great Britain plates ARL 916-1B G and 2A.

'Manufactured in Germany' was engraved in the dead wax of this disc. Although the 'Bundesrepublik' was founded in 1949 under the reign of Konrad Adenauer, apparently the phrase 'Manufactured in Western Germany' was not in use yet. Also the early Deutsche Grammophon issues just mentioned 'Made in Germany'. The recording was first published in 1951 in the UK as well as in Germany. That was in the years when Decca recordings became available pressed by TelDec from original Decca matrices. The label says 'Unverkäufliche Musterplatte' which means 'Sample not for Sale'. This record was a reviewer's copy.

Record EX to M-. Cover NM. Beautifully styled labels. Artisan gatefold cover listing complete opera's available and stating 'ffrr: full frequency range recording - Durch Fortschritt im Frequenzumfang realistische Reproduktion'.

Wagner - Music Dramas - Schoeffler - Lecheitner - Treptow - Moralt - Knappertsbusch - German Decca NLXT 2644 (=LXT 2644). Record EX to M-. Cover NM. $ 24.

Francesco Cavalli: 'L'Ormindo' - opera on a libretto by Giovanni Faustini. Realised by Raymond Leppard.

Ormindo - John Wakefield (tenor)
Amida - Peter-Christoph Runge (baritone)
Nerillo - Isabel Garcisanz (soprano)
Sicle - Hanneke van Bork (soprano)
Melide - Jean Allister (contralto)
Erice - Hugues Cuenod (tenor)
Erisbe - Anne Howells (mezzo-soprano)
Mirinda - Jane Berbie (mezzo-soprano)
Ariadeno - Federico Davia (bass)
Osmano - Richard van Allan (bass)

London Philharmonic Orchestra - Leader Rodney Friend - directed by Raymond Leppard.
Recorded at the Glyndebourne Festival Opera House

Recording first published in 1969. Performance and recording awarded the Edison and Grand Pix du Disque Paris.

Argo ZNF 8-10. ED1. 3x LP. First black labels. Decca recording and pressings. Records NM. Box M- to NM. Libretto NM (except for a small stamp put on the front by the former owner).

Cavelli - Ormindo - Glyndebourne 1967 - London Philharmonic - Leppard - 3x LP Argo ZNF 8-10. Oval label. Records NM. Box and libretto M- to NM. $ 19.

Giuseppe Verdi:

A I D A

Leontyne Price - Soprano
Rita Gorr - Mezzo-Soprano
John Vickers - Tenor
Robert Merrill - Baritone
Giorgio Tozzi - Bass
Plinio Clabassi - Bass
Franco Ricciardi - Tenor
Mietta Sighele - Soprano

Rome Opera House Chorus and Orchestra

Georg Solti - Conductor

This is another famous recording resulting from the collaboration between Decca and RCA in the 1960s. In England this recording was released as RCA SER 4538-40 by Decca and issued as a Decca recording in 1970 as SET 427-9.

RCA Victor Living Stereo LSC-6158 - 3x LP. USA Pressings. Records M-. Book M-. Box EX+.

Verdi - AIDA - Price - Vickers - Rome - Solti - 3x LP RCA LSC-6158 - Redcords M--. Box EX+. Book NM. $ 19.

Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart:

Le Nozze di Figaro - The Marriage of Figaro

Lisa Della Casa - Soprano
Suzanne Danco - Soprano
Hilde Gueden - Soprano
Alfred Poell - Baritone
Cesare Siepi - Bass.
Anny Felbermayer - Soprano
Hilde Rössel-Majdan - Mezzo-Soprano
Murray Dickie - Tenor
Hugo Meyer-Welfing - Tenor
Fernando Corena - Bass
Antonio - Harald Pröglhöf - Bass

Erich Kleiber conducts The Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus.

This is another famous Decca stereo recorded in the mono era. Le nozze di Figaro was released in November of 1955 as LXT 5088-89-90-91-92. The stereo edition was issued in March 1959 as SXL 2087-88-89-90.

Here is the equivalent on the London label pressed in Great Britain: OSA 1402. The individual records are OS 25022 -23-24-25.

The records are EX to M-. (a few sides have some noise or a few ticks at the beginning). The Box is EX to M-. The book with libretto in Italian and translation into English is NM.

Mozart - Nozze - Kleiber - Della Casa - Danco - Gueden et al. 4x LP Decca OSA 1402. Records and Box are EX to M-. Book is NM. $ 22.

Giaccomo Puccini:

TOSCA

Floria Tosca: Antonietta Stella
Mario Cavaradossi: Gianni Poggi
Il Barone Scarpia: Giuseppe Taddei
Angelotti: Ferruccio Mazzoli
Il Sagrestano: Leo Padis
Spoletta: Piero De Palma
Un pastore: Giovanni Bianchini
Sciarrone: Antonio Sacchetti
Un Carceriere: Gerardo Gaudioso

Chorus and Orchestra of the "Teatro di San Carlo di Napoli". Conductor: Tullio Serafin

This recording was issued in 1958 on Columbia M2L 402, 2x Monaural LP. No stereo exists. The recording was made in 1957 and in Europe released in 1958 on Philips A 00463/64 with the modern Philips mono label; no Minigroove label exist. This is the German edition with records made in Holland. After Philips had bought the Mercury label, this recording was later issued in the USA on Mercury's Wing label as WL 1197/8, gatefold cover and not on Columbia's Odyssey. This may lead to the conclusion that the recording was initially a joint venture between Philips and Columbia with Columbia financing part of the project, but that the rights belonged to Philips.

Philips A 00463/64. 2x LP. Records are M-. Box is M-. Book and liner notes in German with complete libretto in Italian.

Puccini - Tosca - Stella - Poggi - Napoli - Serafin. Philips 2x LP A00463/64. Records M-. Box M-. $ 22.

Andre Cluytens conducts
Charles Gounod: Faust

Faust - Nicolai Gedda
Méphistophélès - Boris Christoff
Marguerite - Victoria de los Ángeles
Valentin - Jean Borthayre
Siébel - Martha Angelici
Marthe - Solange Michel
Wagner - Robert Jeantet

Orchestra and Chorus of the Théatre National de l'Opéra, Paris.

RCA LM 6400-1 to 4, 1954. 4x LP. Mono. US edition of the original French recording on VSM FALP -261/4.

Records are VG to EX. Box is NM. Original RCA inner sleeves. Libretto is missing.

Faust - Gounod - Cluytens - Gedda - Christof - Los Angeles. 4x LP RCA LM 6400-1/4. Record VG to EX. Box NM. No libretto. $ 24.

Richard Wagner: Der Ring Des Nibelungen - Complete 19 LPs.

When Herbert von Karajan had concluded his 'Ring des Nibelungen' in 1970, Deutsche Grammophon issued the recordings of the 4 operas in a large slipcase.Each opera has its individual container.

The set includes an illustrated book with the libretti plus introductions in German, English, French, and Italian. There was no complete edition issued on the Tulip label. The authors of Penguin Guide to Opera on Compact Disc wrote: "Karajan's recording of the Ring followed close on the heels of Solti's for Decca, providing a grand alternative studio version which equally stands the test of time. The manner is smoother, the speeds generally broader, yet the tension and concentration of the performances are maintained more consistently than in most modern studio recordings."

BOX 1 - Das Rheingold 2561 192/94 - 3xLP - STEREO (P) 1968 - was available on the Tulip label for 2 years only - 139 226/28
BOX 2 - Die Walküre 2561 195/99 - 5xLP - STEREO (P) 1967 was available on the Tulip label for 3 years
BOX 3 - Siegfried 2561 200/04 - 5xLP - STEREO (P) 1969 was available on the Tulip label for 1 year
BOX 4 - Die Götterdämmerung 2561 205/10 6xLP - STEREO (P) 1970 was never available on the Tulip label.

The ladies:

Cvetka Ahlin - Lilo Brockhaus - Lili Chookasian - Régine Crespin - Helga Dernesch - Oralia Dominguez - Helen Donath - Barbro Ericson - Catherine Gayer - Gundula Janowitz - Helga Jenckel - Catarina Ligendza - Christa Ludwig - Simone Mangelsdorff - Daniza Mastilovic - Edda Moser - Carlotta Ordassy - Liselotte Rebmann - Anna Reynolds - Ingrid Steger - Josephine Veasey

The men:

Helge Bilioth - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - Donald Grobe - Zoltan Kelemen - Robert Kerns - Karl Ridderbusch
Thomas Stewart - Gerhard Stolze - Martti Talvela - Jess Thomas - Jon Vickers - Erwin Wohlfahrt

Berlin Philharmonic Orchestra conducted by
Herbert von Karajan

The box is NM. The individual boxes NM.
The records are Near MINT.
The book is Near Mint as well. It has the original dust cover (which is often omitted in an auction). All in all a beautiful set.

The records are Near MINT and look as if they were played only once or twice.

Shipment of this box per Registered Insured Mail to EU countries is $ 45, to other European countries it is $ 50. To countries outside the European Union shipment is $ 130.

Wagner - Ring - Karajan - 1970 - 19x LP - DG 2561 192 to 210 - Records, Box, Book NM/M-. $ 55

Giuseppe Verdi - Il Trovatore

Renata Tebaldi, Mario del Monaco, Giulietta Simionato, Ugo Savarese

Alberto Erede conducting the Chorus of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and the Orchestra of The Grand Theatre of Geneve.

This is another one of those early stereo recordings made in the monaural era. Originally released in mono as LXT 5602-2 in November 1956. When this unique recording became available in stereo in 1959 as SXL SXL 2129-2131, it was in great demand. Therefor Philips issued the complete opera as a Dutch edition for the opera minded in the Netherlands.

Decca SDAX 195041/2/3. Records NM. Box has a few stains, one clearly visible at the left upper corner. And there is some coloration at the corner at upper right. The box is therefor graded as EX+. This edition had only a simple inlay in Dutch and no libretto. The Philips plates, cut from the original Decca tapes, do not have the slight Decca matrix noise which is so common of the early SXLs. Beautiful sound!

Verdi - Trovatore - Tebaldi - Simionato - del Monaco - Savarese - Erede. 3x LP Dutch Decca SDAX Stereo 195041/43. Records NM. Box EX+. $ 18.

Zoltán Kodály: Háry János - Hungarian folk opera, mostly referred to as a 'Singspiel'

Members of the Hungarian State Opera (see scan at left) and actor Peter Ustinov performing the various roles of : Háry János - Russian Sentyry - Hubgarian Senbtry - An Old Woman - A Jewish Musician - Count Bomabazine - etc.

Edingburgh Festival Chorus (Chorus Master Arthur Oldham) - Wandsworth Schoolboys Choir - Various Soloists - The London Symphony Orchestra.

John Leach - Cymbalon

Istvan Kerttesz, Conductor

Decca SET 399/400. 2x LP. Book with biographies, libretto and images, M- (a few small stains on front and back). Box NM to M-. Records NM.

Hary Janos - Kodaly - Kertesz - Hungarian Opera - Ustinov - London Symphony. 2x LP Decca 399/400. Box and Book M-. Records NM. $ 19.

Kiri Te Kenawa sings Arias of Opera's of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart: Zaide, La Finta Giardiniera, La Clemenza di Tito, Cosi Fan Tutte, Il Re Pastore, Lucio Silla, Idomeneo, Zauberflöte.

London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Sir Colin Davis.

Philips 6514 319. Digital recording from 1983. Record, Cover and Inlay NM.

Kenawa - Mozart Opera Arias - Colin Davis. Philips 6514 319. Record, Cover and Inlay NM. $ 12.

Janet Baker sings Arias from Operas by Christophe Willibald von Gluck

Le perfide Renaud (Armide) - Vous essayez en vain (Iphigénie en Aulide) - Non, cet affreux devoir (Iphigénie en Tauride) - Adieu, conservez dans votre ame (Iphigénie en Aulide) - Divinités du Styx (Alceste) - Bel inconnu; Je cherche a vous faire (Le Rencontre Imprévue) - and 6 more.

English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Raymond Leppard.

Philips 9500 023. Red-Silver label. 1975. Record NM. Cover NM.

Janet Baker - Gluck - Arias - Orfeo ed Euridice - Armide - Iphigénie- etc. ECO. Leppard. Philips 9500 023. Record NM. Cover NM. $ 12.

Christoph Willibald Gluck:

Orfeo ed Euridice

Orfeo - René Jacobs
Euridici - Marjanne Kweksilber
Amore - Magdalena Falewicz

Collegium Vocale Gent
La Petite Bande conducted by Sigiswald Kuijken.

Original score revised by Pieter Andriessen en Sigiswald Kuijken

Accent ACC 8223-24. 2x LP in Box. Records are M- to EX+. Box M- to NM.

Recorded February 1982. German pressing by Sonopress.

'The beauty of pure. The enjoyment of pure music making.'

Gluck - Orfeo ed Euridice - Jacobs - Kweksilber - Falewicz - La Petite Bande. 2x LP Accent ACC 8223-24. Box NM to M-. Records EX+. $ 11.

Georges Bizet:

Carmen

Irina Arkhipova - Carmen
Mario del Monaco - Don José
Chorus and Orchestra of the Bolshoi Theatre of the USSR conducted by A. Melik-Pashayev

This is the live performance from 1959 on 3 Melodiya LP records, issued in 1990.

Irina Arkhipova and cast sing in Russian and Mario del Monaco sings in Italian.

Other singers are Alexei Bolshakov, Galina Belousova-Shenchenko, I. Popov, Irina Maslennikova, N. Zakharov, Nadezhda Kositsyna, Pavel Lisitsian, and F. Fokin.

Records are EX. The Box is M-. Liner notes in Russian glued on the inside of the box (front).

Carmen - Arkhipova - del Monaco - Bolshoi - Melik-Pashayev. 3xLP Melodiya 029833-838. Records EX. Box M-. $ 15.

PUCCINI: MADAMA BUTTERFLY

Renata Tebaldi
Nell Rankin
Gianni Dozzi
Guiseppe Campora
Giovanni Inghilleri
Piero de Palma
Melchiorre Luise
Fernando Corena
Michele Calvino
Luigi Pizzeri

Chorus and Orchestra of the Academia di Santa Cecilia, Rome, conducted by Alberto Erede.

This beautiful item consists of three DECCA LPs in individual covers, in a neat box. References LXT 2638, 2639, and 2640.

The recording was first published in February, 1952. This is the pressing from November, 1954, as is indicated on the back of each individual cover. Liner notes on the back of the covers as well as the complete cast. Original and first Decca Orange-Gold label.

Records EX to NM. Covers NM. Box NM (has been repaired). The scans do not do justice to the actual beauty of the set.

Puccini - Butterfly - Tebaldi - Rankin - et al. Santa Cecilia Rome - Erede. 3x LP Decca LXT 2638/40. Orange-Gold. Records EX to NM. Box and covers NM. $ 24.

Russian Operas (Tchaikovsky, Mussorgsky, Borodin, Rimsky-Korsakov), sung in German by:

Singers: Rita Streich - Grace Bumbry - Stefania Woytowicz - Kim Borg

Conductors: Ferenc Fricsay, Kurt Gaebel, Janos Kulka, Horst Stein, Witold Rowicki, Louis Frémaux.

Beautiful performances the classic way.

Deutsche Grammophon 136 254 Stereo Alle Hersteller Tulip Label from April 1966 - Streich-Borg-Woytowicz-Bumbry. Record and Cover NM. $ 12.

Arias from La Traviata, Der Troubadour, Die Macht des Schicksals, Nabucco - sung in German.

Singers: Maria Stader - Lawrence Winters - Inghe Bork - Jess Thomas - Dietrich Fischer-Dieskau - Sandor Konya - Stefania Woytowicz - Martti Talvela

Conductors: Schmidt-Isserstedt, Patané, Kulka, Löwlein, Stein.

Deutsche Grammophon 136 521 Stereo Alle Hersteller Tulip Label from April 1966 - Winters - Konya - Fischer-Dieskau - Talvela. Record and Cover NM. $ 12.

Benjamin Britten: Peter Grimes

Opera in Three Acts.

Exceptional performance and beautiful recording.

Peter Pears - Claire Watson - James Pease - David Kelly - Owen Brannigan - Lauris Elms - Jean Watson - Marion Stuholme - Iris Kells - Raymons Nilson - John Lanigan - Gerant Evans - Marcus Norman

Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden. Benjamin Britten conducting.

Peter Grimes - Benjamin Britten - 3x LP Decca SXL 2150-2151-2152 WB Non Grooved. Records NM/M- (partly due to early 1959 matrix production). Box NM. Book M-. $ 25.

Wagner: Die Walküre - Highlights

Birgit Nilsson, John Vickers, Gré Brouwenstijn, George London, Rita Gorr, and Walküries

London Symphony Orchestra conducted by Erich Leinsdorf

Recording made by Decca in cooperation with RCA. Decca matrix and pressing.

Wagner Walküre Highlights - Leinsdorf - RCA SB 6558 (=LSC 2692). Record NM and cover NM. $ 12.

Rudolf Moralt conducts Mozart's Don Giovanni

This is the famous Philips 3 LP issue of DON GIOVANNI with singers George London, Leopold Simoneau, Walter Berry, Eberhard Wächter, Ludwig Weber, Hilde Zadek, Sena Jurinac, and Graziella Sciutti,

The performance with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra (Wiener Symphoniker) and the Vienna Chamber Choir (Wiener Kammerchor) is conducted by Rudolf Moralt (who also plays the harpsichord). Mono recording - no stereo exists.

Simoneau - Berry - Zadek - Surinac - Sciutti - Wächter - Moralt - Mozart Don Giovanni. 3x LP Philips A 00280/81/82 L. Records are NM (except for Side 6 which is EX- but sounds as NM). Box is EX. $ 19.

Image of original SXL release

Karl Böhm conducts.

Mozart: The Magic Flute - Die Zauberflöte

Hilde Gueden, Wilma Lipp, Emmy Loose, Leopold Simoneau, Kurt Böhme, Wakter Berry, Paul Schöffler, August Jaresch, Judith Helwig, Christa Ludwig, Hilde Rössel-Majdan, Dorothea Siebert, Ruthilde Boesch, Eva Börner, Joseph Gostic, Ljubomir Pantscheff, Erich Majkut, Harald Pröglhöf

Vienna State Opera Choir, Vienna Philharmonic

Original Decca Stereo recording, released in mono in the Fall of 1954.

When this unique recording became available in stereo as SXL 2215/16/17 Philips practically immediately issued the complete opera as a Dutch edition. There was much demand.

Difficult to get this performance on record, unless you are willing to pay about $ 300 or even up to $ 600.

The Philips plates, cut from the original Decca tapes, do not have the slight Decca matrix noise which is so common of the early SXLs. Beautiful sound.

I will include a photo copy of the text of the original SXL inlay.

Böhm - Mozart - Zauberflote. 3x LP Dutch Decca SDAX 195 030/031/032. Records and Box are a beautiful Near Mint. $ 19.

Cherubini: Medea (complete, 3x LP)

Gwynneth Jones (Soprano),
Bruno Prevedi (Tenor),
Pilar Lorengar (Soprano),
Justino Diaz (Bass-baritone),
Fiorenza Cossotto (Mezzo-soprano).

Chorus and Orchestra of the Academia Nazionale di Santa Cecilia, Rome

Chorus master: Giorgio Kirschner.
Lamberto Gardelli, conductor.

Decca SET 376-8 - Wideband Gr.

Records NM !
Box and libretto VG to VG+.

Records have new inner sleeves. Original inner sleeves retained.

Medea - Jones, Prevedi, etc. 3x LP Decca SET 376/7/8. Box and libretto VG+. Records NM. $ 22.

Karl Böhm at the Bayreuth Festival - Karl Böhm bei den Bayreuther Festspielen. 2 x LP. Excerpts and rehearsal. Extraordinary recordings, artistically as well as technically (given the difficult acoustics in the pit and he hall)

Record One, Side One:

Karl Böhm during the rehearsal of Tristan and Isolde, 3rd act, Prelude and 1st scene

Record One, Side Two:

Tristan and Isolde: Prelude to Act Three, Love duet"Oh sink hernieder", Isoldes Liebestod - Birgit Nilsson, Christa Ludwig, Wolfgang Windgassen.

Record Two - Side One:

Das Rheingold: Wotans Erwachen, Theo Adam

Die Walküre: Ein Schwert verhiesz mir der Vater, James King

Die Walküre: Dialog Wotan-Brünnhilde - Birgit Nilsson/Theo Adam

Die Walküre: Leb' wohl du kühnes herrliches Kind, Theo Adam

Record Two, Side Two:

Siegfried: Nothung , Nothung, niedliches Schwert, Wolfgang Windgassen

Siegfried: Mimes Illusionen der Weltherschaft, Erwinn Wohlfart and Wolfgang Windgassen

Götterdämmerung: Siegfrieds Tod und Trauermarsch, Wolfgang Windgassen

Two LP Gatefold - Karl Böhm bei den Bayreuther Festspielen, 1973 and 1976. Philips 6701 048. Records NM. Gatefold M- to NM. Pressed in Germany. $ 15.

Cavalleria Rustica

Giulietta Simionato, Achille Braschi, Carlo Tagliabue, Liliana Pellegrino, Fernanda Cadoni.
Cetra Orchestra and Chorus, conducted by Arturo Basile.

I Pagliacci

Carla Cavazzi, Carlo Bergonzi, Carlo Tagliabue, Salvatopre Tommaso, Marcello Rossi.
Orchestra and Chrorus of the Italian Radio, conducted by Alfredo Simonett0

I offer this set because I did not want to let it go to waste. So it was cleaned and the records were play graded. The box is poor, is damaged, and the front is somewhat repaired. Obviously an issue for the die hard, the collector of histopric items, despite the condition. But as they have been cleaned, the sound can be fully enjoyed.

3 x LP box from 1954. Cetra Long Playing 1238. Original Italian release from 1954. Original Italian pressings. Box Poor. Damaged front, image repaired. Inlays EX. Records VG+ to EX. $ 15.

Richard Wagner: Der Ring des Nibelungen - Das Rheingold, Die Walküre, Siegfried, Götterdämmerung.

Kirstin Flagstad, Elisabeth Höngen, Sieglinde Wagner, Ludwig Weber, Ferdinand Frantz, Max Lorenz, Gunther Treptow, a.o.

Wilhelm Furtwangler conducted these performmances in La Scala, Milan.
Performances recorded in 1950.

Murray Hill 940477. 11 Records in a Box. This set came without booklet. All info on the back and on the web of course, and in your own library.

Records VG (Side 15) to M-. Yet soundwise a good listen. Box is VG (split at the top of the back was repaired).

Shipment falls into the second category. So it is an item to be added if you have set eyes on more operatic items, or from other categories.

Wagner - Furtwangler - La Scala - 1950 - Murray Hill 940477. 11x LP. Records VG to M-. Box VG. $ 22

Bedrich Smetena:

Prodaná nevêsta
The Bartered Bride
Die verkaufte Braut

Comic opera in 3 Acts on a libretto written by Karel Sabina, performed by The Slovenian National Opera Company conducted by Dimitri Gebré.

Vilma Bukovetz,
Miro Banjnik,
Janec Lipushek,
Latko Koroshetz

Liner notes in German, libretto in Czech, English, French and German.

Philips recording released in 1956 in mono. No stereo exists. A 00354 L - A 00355 L - A 00356 L. (See Wikipedia)

The Bartered Bride - 3x LP Philips 00354-356. Box NM. Book NM. Records VG+ to EX. $ 20.

Rossini:

The Barber of Seville - Il barbieri de Sevilla

Mercedes Capsir - Ricardo Stracciari - Dino Borgioli - supporting cast and chorus

Milan Symphony Orchestra conducted by Cav Lorenzo Molajoli

Recording made in 1929, in the shellac era and issued on Columbia's Entree Lp label in September, 1953. Mono. No Stereo exists.

Puccini La Tosca - Entree EL 1 - 3x 12" LP RL 3061/3062/3063. Records VG+ and Box Ex-. No book or libretto. $ 18.

Puccini: La Tosca

Bianca Scacciati - Alessandro Granda - Enrico Molinari - Salvatore Baccaloni - Aristide Baracchi - Tomano Cortellino - Emilio Venturini

Scala Milan Chorus and Orchestra conducted by Cav Lorenzo Molajoli.

Recording made in 1929, in the shellac era and issued on Columbia's Entree Lp label in December, 1953. Mono. No Stereo exists.

Puccini La Tosca - 2x LP Entree EL 4 RL 3075/3076. Records VG+. Box EX-. No book or libretto. $ 18.