# Why no Opera on LP ?



## deeslexia (Nov 23, 2011)

Hi 

Is Opera on LP considered defunct ?

Most of my sets which date from the 50s/60s because I could only afford reissues and used albums are on vinyl, with just a few which I found inexpensively on CD .

Maybe, only new issues are discussed here which would preclude vinyl ?

I have just bought, for £3.50, a Kleiber Der Rosenkavalier from the 50s with box art to the box , repeated inside to each of the 4 LPs with the clear plastic sleeve inside the cover !

There is even a tape to lift the records which are numbered.
Needless to say that the sleeves to each record are immaculate .

This is pure indulgence for the presentation as the CD version does not cost much more and I have the Solti / Karajan sets .

I guess that this must have been quite an outlay in the mid 50s .

dee


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

deeslexia said:


> Hi
> 
> Is Opera on LP considered defunct ?
> 
> ...


You may discuss opera on 78s here if you wish.
But be warned,with a few honourable exceptions most here think opera began with the three tenors.


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## joen_cph (Jan 17, 2010)

I´ve got 130-140 operas on vinyl too - a nice way of getting the main repertoire in a very inexpensive way, often with good and comprehensive liner notes, and with a few excursions into rarities. Here they now go for down to € 1,5 per box set. The sound quality is varying, but the Deccas for instance are usually of very good quality, and almost all of mine are at least in stereo. My main interest lies in instrumental and other vocal works, though.


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## deggial (Jan 20, 2013)

deeslexia said:


> I have just bought, for £3.50, a Kleiber Der Rosenkavalier from the 50s with box art to the box , repeated inside to each of the 4 LPs with the clear plastic sleeve inside the cover !
> 
> There is even a tape to lift the records which are numbered.
> Needless to say that the sleeves to each record are immaculate.


woo, did you buy it on ebay or in a brick and mortar store? (any more of those left?) I want a copy, too! my mum has lots of classical music (and a few opera) LPs at her old house and I've long thought of buying a new record player (with mp3 transfer capability).


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## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

deeslexia said:


> Is Opera on LP considered defunct ?


Opera LPs are still being made and sold:


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## Krummhorn (Feb 18, 2007)

I have La Boheme on LP ... beautiful recording.

I've read somewhere that vinyl is making a comeback


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## Il_Penseroso (Nov 20, 2010)

Krummhorn said:


> I've read somewhere that vinyl is making a comeback


Yes, there's also a thread on TC:

http://www.talkclassical.com/23453-vinyl-lp-records-resurgence.html


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## katdad (Jan 1, 2009)

I have the complete Ring Cycle from DeutcheGrammaphon, the older Solti recording. This is a nice boxed set that cost quite a bit when I bought it years ago. I haven't played it for ages since I retired my expensive digital turntable. I seem to remember that Rheingold was 3 LPs, and the longer operas were 4 or 6 LPs.

There is, as you know, a solid group of collectors who focus on LPs.


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## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

katdad said:


> There is, as you know, a solid group of collectors who focus on LPs.


Yes, in my opinion, it is pretty twisted. Those sorts of collectors also tend to be the ones buying stuff like this bad puppy.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

I'm glad my ears are not good enough to need that!


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## mtmailey (Oct 21, 2011)

View attachment 20123
I would say that operas are to long to fit on a LP.LPs have limits like here i have a lp of tchaikovsky e-flat symphony which lasts like 40 minutes total.I think the time limit is like 30 minutes per LP side.


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## suteetat (Feb 25, 2013)

There are plenty of opera LPs around but not so many new one.
When Testament released Decca's Keilberth's Bayreuth Ring Cycle, they did released limited edition LP as well,
all 19 of them for the Ring Cycle, if I remember correctly. Netrebko's Salzburg Traviata froma few years ago was
also released as a hi-light on LP and Bartoli's recent album, Mission was released as LP as well.
Not the most convenient format for opera as there are too many sides to flip and music often get 
interrupted at inopportune time. For opera, I prefer to listen through my music server so I can
load the entire opera into playlist and listen uninterrupted. Even CDs still get occasional annoying break
because recording studio tried to squeeze the entire work into as few CDs as possible.
Testamenet also reissued Callas' first Tosca recording with di Stefano, di Sabata on LP awhile ago that sounded great, much better than EMI CD reissue in my opinion.

With the new revival trend for LP, prices of old LP, especially first pressing really went up significantly. Luckily opera for most part still remained rather unpopular and prices did not go up 
nearly as much as other classical or jazz genre. Price of Beatles' UK Parlophone 1st pressing, even in a bad shape is rather scarry!


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## deeslexia (Nov 23, 2011)

Thanks everyone .
The Rosenkavalier came from a charity shop , as did a Reader's Digest politically incorrect Messiah by Sargent @ 10p per LP .Incidentally , these are the original dynagroove Rca lps in stereo repackaged . The gold stereo sticker on the red box which has no mention of the performers may signify that an earlier mono recording may have been issued previously .
Another pride of place set is Bohm with Mozart - Don Giovanni , Le Nozze di Figaro and Die Zauberflote in a big gold case which set me back £5.00. Again , I can't help thinking of the initial outlay in the 60s for this magnificent package which includes a book with all three librettos £100 ? maybe .
dee.


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## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

suteetat said:


> There are plenty of opera LPs around but not so many new one. When Testament released Decca's Keilberth's Bayreuth Ring Cycle, they did released limited edition LP as well, all 19 of them for the Ring Cycle, if I remember correctly.


DG also releases some things on LPs.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

tyroneslothrop said:


> Yes, in my opinion, it is pretty twisted. Those sorts of collectors also tend to be the ones buying stuff like this bad puppy.


Yes,but of course there is always a chance that your opinion is twisted--in my opinion.
What could ever cause you to come out with such a comment ?


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

deeslexia said:


> Thanks everyone .
> The Rosenkavalier came from a charity shop , as did a Reader's Digest politically incorrect Messiah by Sargent @ 10p per LP .Incidentally , these are the original dynagroove Rca lps in stereo repackaged . The gold stereo sticker on the red box which has no mention of the performers may signify that an earlier mono recording may have been issued previously .
> Another pride of place set is Bohm with Mozart - Don Giovanni , Le Nozze di Figaro and Die Zauberflote in a big gold case which set me back £5.00. Again , I can't help thinking of the initial outlay in the 60s for this magnificent package which includes a book with all three librettos £100 ? maybe .
> dee.


All good stuff,what are you playing them on ?


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## tyroneslothrop (Sep 5, 2012)

moody said:


> Yes,but of course there is always a chance that your opinion is twisted--in my opinion.
> What could ever cause you to come out with such a comment ?


Because I have a physics background perhaps?  (actually, that isn't a perhaps)

By the way, I misspoke, I was actually referring to the extreme audiophiles _(which is some one who spends perhaps $25k+ on their audio equipment)_. Didn't mean to lump those who collect LPs only in that boat. I just happen to know a few who have spent more on their CARTRIDGE for their turntable than I spent on my entire audio system. And they don't listen to reason.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

moody said:


> All good stuff,what are you playing them on ?


It's OK I saw your description on another thread.


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## PetrB (Feb 28, 2012)

tyroneslothrop said:


> Yes, in my opinion, it is pretty twisted. Those sorts of collectors also tend to be the ones buying stuff like this bad puppy.


LOL. a "Power chord" is not even a chord, by all musical theory disciplines, until rock - pop and some schlock decided they were. No where else is an open fifth with either member doubled considered "a chord.'


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

I'm fairly happy to be condemned to collecting only operas released at least 30 years ago. And being of limited means, collecting opera LP box sets is a very affordable hobby. Although my hi-fi is acceptable I make no great claims as to the sound quality, but that's not important because I love the whole product and the ritual of playing records. And (perhaps this is for another thread) I enjoy pre-owned records and feel like I'm giving them a loving home and, mostly importantly, still played.

As to new opera LPs, I think I'd baulk at the price. Happy with the old stuff.


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## schigolch (Jun 26, 2011)

I play now and then old records on gramophones, so LPs still sound like high-tech to me.


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## Downbeat (Jul 10, 2013)

Too much effort in turning record over every 45 minutes...I feel it breaks up the continuity of the music too much.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Downbeat said:


> Too much effort in turning record over every 45 minutes...I feel it breaks up the continuity of the music too much.


Give us a break--perhaps it's too much trouble to actually listen.
What would you have done in the days of 78s ?


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## Downbeat (Jul 10, 2013)

I suppose that is one reason the Ring Cycle was not recorded for 78s. I personally like listening to an act in a single sitting. It's not the bother of having to get up (I am from the LP era, but still young enough to get up), but the music does require continuity I feel.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Downbeat said:


> I suppose that is one reason the Ring Cycle was not recorded for 78s. I personally like listening to an act in a single sitting. It's not the bother of having to get up (I am from the LP era, but still young enough to get up), but the music does require continuity I feel.


I remember the HMV 78s of Wagner had dark green labels.


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## Downbeat (Jul 10, 2013)

moody said:


> I remember the HMV 78s of Wagner had dark green labels.


Wouldn't that have been for individual preludes/arias only?


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Downbeat said:


> Wouldn't that have been for individual preludes/arias only?


No,only Wagner had this colour for all recordings.


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## Prodromides (Mar 18, 2012)

deeslexia said:


> Is Opera on LP considered defunct ?


You might be interested, dee, in this thread I created last year ...

http://www.talkclassical.com/20127-vintage-french-opera-albums.html


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## DarkAngel (Aug 11, 2010)

Solti Ring 22 vinyl records, 44 trips to record player (flip record over) vs Solti Ring blu ray single disc
Vinyl becomes very cumbersome to manage on longer opera/classical works


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

DarkAngel said:


> Solti Ring 22 vinyl records, 44 trips to record player (flip record over) vs Solti Ring blu ray single disc
> Vinyl becomes very cumbersome to manage on longer opera/classical works


Of course it was a pain,but there was no choice at first but then automatic players came in.
They could hold a number of records and they would drop down one after another--gasps at new technology.
The records were issued so that the overside was not the next in line but would fit into the records being held and would therefore all be reversed at the end of each pile. I wish I hadn't started this explanation,but if you think about it all becomes clear.


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## Don Fatale (Aug 31, 2009)

Ok, I'll agree that the item in the bottom picture is slightly more convenient for car journeys.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Alexander said:


> Ok, I'll agree that the item in the bottom picture is slightly more convenient for car journeys.


What cars the only people with cars were wealthy, radios were not even standard.


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## Hoffmann (Jun 10, 2013)

I held on to about 20 of my LP opera collection and sold the rest to a second hand shop (for next to nothing, but I didn't have the space to store them). I'm not sure why I held on to them except for old times sake. I still have my old turntable, but it hasn't worked in years.

The other down side to LPs is that they are easy to scratch and are otherwise more easily damaged than cds. I have heard audiophiles claim that LP technology sounds 'warmer'. I have no idea what that means - but probably wouldn't be a good format for jazz (which is cool...). However, regardless of potential accusations of laziness, I now store the contents of all my CDs on iTunes (using lossless formatting) so that I can play recordings all the way through without having to get up to change sides or insert new cds. It makes me very happy.


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## moody (Nov 5, 2011)

Hoffmann said:


> I held on to about 20 of my LP opera collection and sold the rest to a second hand shop (for next to nothing, but I didn't have the space to store them). I'm not sure why I held on to them except for old times sake. I still have my old turntable, but it hasn't worked in years.
> 
> The other down side to LPs is that they are easy to scratch and are otherwise more easily damaged than cds. I have heard audiophiles claim that LP technology sounds 'warmer'. I have no idea what that means - but probably wouldn't be a good format for jazz (which is cool...). However, regardless of potential accusations of laziness, I now store the contents of all my CDs on iTunes (using lossless formatting) so that I can play recordings all the way through without having to get up to change sides or insert new cds. It makes me very happy.


If you are happy then we're all happy.


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