bub@ames-lm.UUCP (Bubbette McLeod) (06/29/84)
I recently attended a very good production of Aida at the San Francisco
Opera House. They had something called supertitles, which were the
like subtitles, only projected at the top of the proscenium (sp?) arch.
I'm curious to know if this is being done other places, or is just
happening in trendy San Francisco?
bub
{hao,hplabs,dual,menlo70}!ames-lm!bubdep@allegra.UUCP (Dewayne E. Perry) (07/02/84)
<lets hear it for braindamaged software> I think that the New York City Opera started the sub(super)title thing last season. There are at least three operas this summer that are being done with subtitles by NYCO. I haven't seen one of their performances yet, so I dont know how they do it.. If I can get to one this summer, I will post a notice. dep
rwh@aesat.UUCP (Russell Herman) (07/02/84)
No, I've seen supertitles used up here in Toronto - it may have even
originated here.
--
______ Russ Herman
/ \ {allegra,ihnp4,linus,decvax}!utzoo!aesat!rwh
@( ? ? )@
( || ) The opinions above are strictly personal, and
( \__/ ) do not reflect those of my employer (or even
\____/ possibly myself an hour from now.)cbspt002@abnjh.UUCP (Marc E. Kenig ) (07/02/84)
<Hey, Violetta, want to go over to the Duke's and party?> The [New York] City Opera tried supertitles last season. Though many thought it would be too distracting, it didn't receive such bad reviews and will be back for a majority of performances this year. I don't care for it. I'd rather have good translations to English performed by singers with decent elocution (Did somebody mention the recent ENO tour?). Or just simply do your homework on the Opera before you go. M. Kenig (ENO stands for English Nat'l Opera, rock fans....) ...abnjh!cbspt002
cbf@allegra.UUCP (Francois) (07/03/84)
Yes, the use of surtitles (I believe that's the original description)
orginated with a Canadian company. Beverly Sills (managing director of
the NYC Opera) first saw them there and was duly impressed. She first
used them in a production of Massenet's *Cendrillon* this past fall.
The critical response was favorable (i.e. Henahan of the Times didn't
hate them too much, not the way he usually hates everything that's
new), so Ms. Sills decided that all of the foreign-language operas in
the upcoming season (and presumably in future ones, too) will benefit
from their use. By the way, I can't wait for the City Opera's new
production of Stephen Sondheim's *Sweeney Todd* coming this November.
Tickets go on sale August 12. Get some.
Charles B. Francois {...,decvax}!allegra!cbf
--
"To seek revenge may lead to hell
But everyone does it though seldom as well
As Sweeney
As Sweeney Todd
The demon barber of Fleet... street"cpma@vice.UUCP (John Thomas) (07/07/84)
I don't think you can "study enough" to fully enjoy an opera unless one learns the language itself. Hearing an opera in English makes the difference between (hopefully, but not always) pretty musick and heart throbbing melodrama. Lacking that, English subtitles are the next best. The only problem with Super-Text is that the text is too high above the stage, placing it nearly out of the line of sight for those in the front rows.
jeb@eisx.UUCP (Jim Beckman) (07/12/84)
>>>
I saw the NYCO production of Cendrillon (with supertitles) last
season. There were people handing out survey forms beforehand to
get audience reaction, but I didn't turn mine in, because I
couldn't really decide whether I liked the idea or not. All in
all, I suppose I'm in favor. Since the text is at the top of
the proscenium, it is relatively easy to ignore it (unless you
are in the far upper reaches of the balconies). However, I
found that I couldn't really ignore the text, because I
WANTED TO KNOW what was really being said. My impression was
that the supertitles weren't a literal translation, and
sometimes paraphrased. I think this is a better approach than
translating an opera into English because (1) the opera sounds
better in the original language (2) even when it's sung in
English, you can't understand a lot of it unless you know it
already.
The performance I attended had some technical problems with
the projection - occasionally the projector would be cycled
with no slide, producing a bright bar of white above the stage -
very irritating. For the near future, at least, all NYCO
shows done in other than English will have the supertitles.
Jim Beckman ATTISL, South Plainfield, NJ eisx!jeb
Aside: was anyone else on the net present several years ago
at NYCO when a major part of the scenery collapsed during the
Sarah Caldwell production of the Barber?steve@rna.UUCP (07/20/84)
This summer the New York City Opera will have "supertitles" (in English) for all its productions.