Verdi - Aïda (Highlights): Museum Object and Cultural History

The object in the museum catalogue

A tape reel of Verdi-Aida (2016.68.10a) that is housed in a cardboard case (2016.68.10b). The front of the case features a closely framed portrait of Leontyne Price looking upward in costume as the character Aïda from Verdi's opera "Aïda." Above Price's portrait are two equally-sized rectangle text boxes; the rectangle to the left is orange while the rectangle to the right is black. White and black text in the rectangle to the left reads [HIGHLIGHTS / AÏDA / VERDI]. White and orange text in the rectangle to the right reads [PRICE • VICKERS / GORR • MERRILL • TOZZI / SOLTI • / ROME OPERA HOUSE / ORCHESTRA AND CHORUS / Selected by the Metropolitan Opera]. Above these two rectangle text boxes is a series of text boxes aligned with the top edge which contain the record label logo and stereo specifications. The back of the case has black text on a white background that gives information about the tape. The reel has a RCA Victor red label.

Materials, dates and provenance

• Date: 1962
• Published by: RCA Records, founded 1901
• Recorded by: Leontyne Price, American, born 1927
• Recorded by: Jon Vickers, Canadian, 1926 - 2015
• Recorded by: Rita Gorr, Belgian, 1926 - 2012
• Recorded by: Robert Merrill, American, 1917 - 2004
• Recorded by: Giorgio Tozzi, American, 1923 - 2011
• Type: audiotapes
• Medium: magnetic tape, paper, plastic
• Dimensions: Diameter (tape reel): 7 × 1/2 in. (17.8 × 1.3 cm)
• Dimensions: H x W x D (reel box): 7 7/16 × 7 7/16 × 3/4 in. (18.9 × 18.9 × 1.9 cm)
• Topic: African American
• Topic: Classical (Music)
• Topic: Composers (Musicians)
• Topic: Instrumentalists (Musicians)
• Topic: Opera (Music)
• Topic: Singers (Musicians)
• Object number: 2016.68.10ab
• Credit Line: Collection of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
• Data Source: National Museum of African American History and Culture

Sources and reuse

Catalogue descriptions and facts adapted from National Museum of African American History and Culture through the Smithsonian's official Open Access dataset. This record explicitly marks its metadata CC0 1.0; formatting and selection have been changed. The underlying object's rights statement is: Unknown - Restrictions Possible Rights assessment and proper usage is the responsibility of the user.