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The Great Caruso by Mario Lanza, album cover

Vinyl pressings

The Great Caruso

by Mario Lanza · 1951

81 pressings22 countriesOperaClassical

The Great Caruso was first pressed on vinyl in 1951. Every vinyl pressing is listed below with its label, catalog number and runout codes, so you can tell an original from a reissue.

How to spot a first pressing of The Great Caruso

5 pressings came out in 1951, the album's first year, in 2 countries. Compare the label and catalog number on your copy, then the codes etched or stamped in the runout groove (the dead wax around the label): they are the surest sign of an early pressing.

US

April 1951
Label and catalog number
RCA Victor Red Seal WDM 1506
Format
7", 45 RPM, Mono, Box Set, Album · Red
Runout / matrix

49-3201A 5S I A1 L C1Record 1, Side A; machine stamped

49-3202A 4S I A1 LRecord 2, Side B; machine stamped

49-3203A 4S I A1 LRecord 3, Side C; machine stamped

49-3204A 4S I A1 LRecord 4, Side D; machine stamped

Full details of this pressing

US

April 1951
Label and catalog number
RCA Victor Red Seal WDM 1506
Format
7", 45 RPM, Mono, Box Set, Album · Red
Runout / matrix

49 - 3201A 5S 1 A1 C1side A runout, lightly stamped

49 - 3202A 4S 1 A2 L C1side B runout, lightly stamped

49 - 3203A 9S 1 A1side C runout, lightly stamped

49 - 3204A 4S 1 A1 Lside D runout, lightly stamped

Full details of this pressing

US

April 1951
Label and catalog number
RCA Victor Red Seal DM-1506
Format
Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album
Runout / matrix

12-3201-ALabel, Disk 1, Side 1

12-3201-BLabel, Disk 1, Side 8

12-3202-ALabel, Disk 2, Side 2

12-3202-BLabel, Disk 2, Side 7

Full details of this pressing

Brazil

1951
Label and catalog number
RCA Victor Red Seal DM-1506
Format
Shellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album
Runout / matrix

12-3201-ASide A

12-3201-BSide B

12-3202-ASide C

12-3202-BSide D

Full details of this pressing

Not sure how to read the runout? See matrix numbers, runout and dead wax and how to tell a first pressing.

All 81 vinyl pressings

By decade, oldest first. Open a pressing for its full label, barcode and runout details.

1950s26 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1951BrazilRCA Victor Red Seal DM-1506First yearShellac, 12", 78 RPM, AlbumShellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album
1951USRCA Victor Red Seal WDM 1506First year7", 45 RPM, Mono, Box Set, Album · Mono, Colored vinyl7", 45 RPM, Mono, Box Set, Album · Mono, Colored vinyl
1951USRCA Victor Red Seal WDM 1506First year7", 45 RPM, Mono, Box Set, Album · Mono, Colored vinyl7", 45 RPM, Mono, Box Set, Album · Mono, Colored vinyl
1951USRCA Victor Red Seal DM-1506First yearShellac, 12", 78 RPM, AlbumShellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album
1951USRCA Victor Red Seal DM-1506First yearShellac, 12", 78 RPM, AlbumShellac, 12", 78 RPM, Album
1953CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
1953CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1953CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM 1127LP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
1953FranceLa Voix De Son Maître FBLP 1043LP, 10"LP, 10"
1953FranceLa Voix De Son Maître 33 FBLP 1043 / La Voix De Son Maître FBLP 1043LP, 10", Mono · MonoLP, 10", Mono · Mono
1953USRCA Victor Red Seal DM-1506LP, 7", 45 RPM, Album, Mono · MonoLP, 7", 45 RPM, Album, Mono · Mono
1958ArgentinaRca Victor Sello Rojo LM - 1127LP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
1958CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1958FranceRCA 330.213LP, 10", Album, Mono · MonoLP, 10", Album, Mono · Mono
1958FranceRCA 330.213LP, 10", Album, Mono · MonoLP, 10", Album, Mono · Mono
All 26 pressings from the 1950s
1960s24 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1960SpainRCA 3L16107LPLP
1960USRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127 / RCA Victor Red Seal LM 1127LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1961FranceRCA 230.213LP, 10", Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, 10", Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1961GermanyRCA Red Seal LM-1127-CLP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
1962FranceRCA 230.213 / RCA Victor 230.213LP, 10", Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, 10", Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1962FranceRCA 230.213LP, 10", Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, 10", Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1963CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LME-1127LP, Stereo, ReissueLP, Stereo, Reissue
1963CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Reissue, Mono · Mono
1963New ZealandRCA Victor RPL 3160LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1963USRCA Victor Red Seal LSC-1127(e)LP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Remastered, Stereo
1963USRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1963USRCA Victor Red Seal LSC-1127(e)LP, Remastered, Repress, StereoLP, Remastered, Repress, Stereo
1963USRCA Victor Red Seal LSC-1127(e)LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1963USRCA Victor Red Seal LSC-1127(e) / RCA Victor Red Seal LSC 1127LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1963USRCA Victor Red Seal LSC-1127(e)LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
All 24 pressings from the 1960s
1970s3 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1970MexicoRCA Victor Red Seal MRS-1058LP, Album, StereoLP, Album, Stereo
1973SpainRCA Red Seal LSC-1122LP, ReissueLP, Reissue
1976PortugalRCA Victor Red Seal LSC 1127LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
1980s2 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
1981GermanyRCA Red Seal RL 43389LP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
1981ItalyRCA NL 43639LP, StereoLP, Stereo
Year unknown26 pressings
YearCountryLabel and catalog numberFormat
?ArgentinaRCA Victor LSC-1127 / RCA Victor Red Seal LSC-1127LP, StereoLP, Stereo
?ArgentinaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LPLP
?BrazilRCA Victor Sêlo Vermelho BRL-20 / RCA Victor Sêlo Vermelho BRL 20LP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
?BrazilRCA Victor BRL-20LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
?CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Album, Reissue, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Reissue, Mono · Mono
?CanadaRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127LP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
?ColombiaRCA Victor LM-1127 / RCA Victor LMVC-42LP, Mono · MonoLP, Mono · Mono
?FranceRCA Victor 443 009LP, StereoLP, Stereo
?GermanyRCA Victor Red Seal LSC 1127-B / RCA LSC 1127-BLP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?GermanyRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127-C / RCA Victor LM-1127-CLP, AlbumLP, Album
?GermanyRCA Red Seal LM-1127 -C / RCA Red Seal LM 1127 CLP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
?GermanyRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127-CLP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
?GermanyRCA Victor Red Seal LM-1127-C / RCA Victor LM 1127-CLP, AlbumLP, Album
?GermanyRCA Victor Red Seal LSC 1127-B / RCA LSC 1127-BLP, Album, Reissue, StereoLP, Album, Reissue, Stereo
?GermanyRCA Red Seal LM-1127-C / RCA Red Seal LM 1127-CLP, Album, Mono · MonoLP, Album, Mono · Mono
All 26 pressings from unknown years

Tracklist

  1. ARigoletto: Act I Questa O Quella (The One Is As Fair As The Other)
  2. BRigoletto: Act IV La Donna È Mobile (Woman Is Fickle)
  3. CRigoletto: Act II Parmi Veder Le Lagrime (Art Thou Weeping?)
  4. DLa Tosca: Act I Recondita Armonia (Strange Harmony Of Contrasts)
  5. ELa Tosca: Act III E Lucevan Le Stelle (The Stars Were Brightly Shining)
  6. FL'Elisir D'Amore: Act II Una Furtiva Lagrima (A Furtive Tear)
  7. GLa Gioconda: Act II Cielo E Mar! (Heaven And Ocean!)
  8. HI Pagliacci: Act I Vesti La Giubba (On With The Play)

Questions

How many vinyl pressings of The Great Caruso are there?

81 vinyl pressings of The Great Caruso are listed here, from 22 countries, released between 1951 and 1981.

When was The Great Caruso first released on vinyl?

The earliest pressings are from 1951, in US, Brazil. One of them is RCA Victor Red Seal WDM 1506, released April 1951.

How do I tell if my copy of The Great Caruso is a first pressing?

Check the catalog number on the label (first-year pressings use WDM 1506, DM-1506) and the codes etched in the runout groove, then compare them with the pressings listed above; for example, 49-3201A 5S I A1 L C1 and 49-3202A 4S I A1 L. Later reissues often keep the catalog number but change the label design or the runout codes.

How much is The Great Caruso on vinyl worth?

It depends on which pressing you have and on the condition of the record and its sleeve. Early pressings from the album's home country in near mint condition are usually worth the most; common later reissues are worth far less. Scan your copy with VinylLens to see its value for every grade.

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