Opera Libretti

[Petrushka]

I'm managing to acquire, at first by chance, but now from choice, big boxed sets which include opera eg the Kubelik DG box and now the Karl Böhm opera box. A major drawback, for me, is that none of them provide the text and translations (though the Solti box happily provides a download option) and I'm looking for print copies rather than internet.

Amazon have some of these but reviewers rubbish most of them as being littered with errors or missing chunks of text and the like. I am after reliable text and English translations in book form of, in particular, all the Mozart and Richard Strauss operas (except Figaro, Salome and Rosenkavalier which I have from CD booklets).

Does anyone know of a reliable source?

[Flay]

Does anyone know of a reliable source?

I can't help with that, but did find this potentially useful resource (not all in English):

http://www.operafolio.com/list_of_opera_libretti.asp

[Petrushka]

I can't help with that, but did find this potentially useful resource (not all in English):

http://www.operafolio.com/list_of_opera_libretti.asp

I did come across that, thanks, but I'm really after the original libretto with side by side English translation as found in countless CD booklets. It's surprising that the big boxes don't contain either a CD ROM or a link to a pdf download. The other option I have is to buy one of the operas on a really cheap second hand copy, keep the booklet and sling the CDs!

[makropulos]

This is maybe the most useful bet –101 opera librettos and parallel texts for £12:95 or so (and it's an actual book):

https://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Opera-Librettos-Complete-Translations/dp/1884822797

[Petrushka]

This is maybe the most useful bet –101 opera librettos and parallel texts for £12:95 or so (and it's an actual book):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Opera-L.../dp/1884822797

I was rather put off by the Amazon reviews when I first came across this but at the price I've now gone for it anyway.

[Dave2002]

This is maybe the most useful bet –101 opera librettos and parallel texts for £12:95 or so (and it's an actual book):
https://www.amazon.co.uk/101-Opera-L.../dp/1884822797

Seems a good idea, though may only be available used at varying prices. Currently over £40. I would have ordered straight away at the lower price mentioned. It would be useful for checking modern productions - many of which seem to modify plots and text at the whim of directors - and also productions in English, which allow some directors even greater opportunities for recreating opera productions to suit their own ends.

[makropulos]

Something I came across by chance tonight: Supraphon has a link to free PDFs of Czech-English parallel text librettos for the following operas:
Smetana: The Secret, Dalibor, Libuse, Bartered Bride
Janacek: The Excursions of Mr Broucek, The Cunning Little Vixen
Martinu: The Greek Passion
Fibich: Sarka

Very useful, I think.

All available here (just click on the relevant PDF): https://www.supraphon.com/catalogue/libretto

[Darkbloom]

eBay is always worth looking at. Some people are a bit reluctant to use it but I have never had any problems and the buyer is fully protected if any issue occurs. AbeBooks is another useful site that brings together booksellers from all over the world. I often find Amazon doesn't have quite the range (even including the marketplace sellers) and is also more expensive..