Cetra

Cetra Records (the name stands for "Compagnia per edizioni, teatro, registrazioni ed affini") was an Italian company established in Torino April 10, 1933, which produced opera recordings. It was established on the initiative EIAR (Ente Italiano Audizioni Radiofoniche), who decides to transform the "Edizioni musicali Radiofono" , active since 15 September 1923 (and owned) in the record company, and changed its name in "Cetra Società Anonima"; later the company will become a s.p.a. the December 16, 1957 is joined with the Milano record company Fonit.

The company achieved something of a triumph in the early 1950s when it produced many recordings of obscure or seldom heard Verdi operas to coincide with the 50th anniversary of the composer's death in 1901. Cetra recordings are often now reissued by the company Warner Fonit Cetra. Cetra opera albums were distributed in the United States on the Cetra-Soria label (founded by Dario Soria and Dorle Soria, who later founded Angel Records). Beginning in 1966, several Cetra opera recordings were issued in the United States by Everest Records.

Cetra Records also produced popular music recordings from at least the World War II years through the 1960s. One of their instrumental artists is accordionist Michele Corino, a soloist with Italy's prominent "Orchestra Angelini" until he moved to San Francisco, California, in 1948. "Mike" ran a prominent accordion studio in "North Beach Music" (a.k.a. Corino Music) and taught, worked and recorded with brothers Fabio and Gianfranco Giotta, part of the San Francisco-based Caffe Trieste (see also "Cavalier Records", "Caffe Trieste" and "Trieste Records"). Gianfranco shared the studio with Mike on the 1963 Cetra album titled "Rome to Paris".

Source: Wikipedia