Carlo Sabajno (1874-1938) was an Italian conductor, closely associated with La Scala and with some of the earliest complete opera recordings. He became a key figure in the transition from operatic performance to recorded opera.

In the Pristine catalogue he conducts historic recordings of Verdi’s Aida and Requiem and Puccini’s Tosca, with leading Italian singers of the late acoustic and early electrical eras.

Sabajno’s conducting was shaped by practical theatrical knowledge and the severe time discipline of early recording. He had to make opera work within the constraints of shellac sides and studio conditions.

His importance is inseparable from recording history. Sabajno helped teach the gramophone how to contain an opera house.