The record collection contains some 3,300 recordings of Verdi’s music on 78, 45 and 33 rpm, beginning with exemplars from the early 19 th century. The core of the collection (about 3,000 records) comes from the great Swedish collector Carl L. Bruun, who donated it to the Istituto in 1984.
The collection includes recordings of complete operas, vocal recitals and opera extracts. After the Discoteca di Stato in Rome and alongside the Arrigo ed Egle Agosti collection of the Municipal “Romolo Valli” Theater of Reggio Emilia, it is the largest public collection of phonograph records in Italy.
The entire collection has been digitally transferred and can be consulted at the Istituto, along with the electronic catalogue of the complete collection; the first volume of the catalogue, listing complete operas and opera extracts, has been published. On-line consultation is in the planning stages.

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