I decided to delve a bit into the topic of operas done right on the heels of occurrences. My question concerned the prevalence of translating librettos into national languages. I have never heard operas in Russian, neither translated nor original, yet there turned out to be many translations into Russian. I was curious whether this was unique to the Russian language or not. And in my research, I stumbled upon an interesting article by composer Alexander Zhurbin.
The article as a whole is quite intriguing, so if the topic interests you, instead of reading the excerpts below, go check out the link in the comments.
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An essential part of any discussion about “Captions in Opera” will always include the following: Captions can serve two purposes: 1) translate from one language to another and 2) echo what is said (or sung) in the same language.
Both these issues have long been a concern for creators and visitors of opera performances.
As far as I’m concerned, translation from one language to another has already established its ground, and the overwhelming majority of opera fans agree with it. Here, two main circumstances are maintained: 1. The opera is performed in the original language, and 2. The audience understands what is sung.
I must say, the opposition between those who support understanding the literary content of operas and those who favor performances in the original language has been serious and even fierce for many years in many countries… I’m not aware of any scientific studies or even a popular book on the subject – nothing similar has ever crossed my path. However, it would make for fascinating reading.
Various methods to tackle the unintelligibility of sung texts were employed.
For example, until about the end of the 19th century in many European theaters kept the lights dimmed during performances so that audience members could read their librettos right during the action. Those who wished bought full librettos or just synopses… and followed along with the page right during the action.
Obviously, this was very distracting from the stage (and you can’t even compare it to the millisecond glance at a caption screen).
In Russia and some other countries, the issue was straightforwardly resolved by singing in their own language. All theaters in Russia and broader – the Soviet Union – sang classic operas in Russian. I heard that there were anecdotal translations of “Carmen” into Ukrainian and “La Traviata” into Uzbek, but I have never encountered such performances in my life. Although I was quite familiar with the repertoire of the Navoi Theatre in Tashkent, visiting frequently during my school years, and even participating as a child in crowd scenes at this theater; however, I never heard classical operas performed in Uzbek. They all sang in Russian.
In many ways, that was absolutely right. After all, enduring a 3-hour opera in a foreign language would have been unbearable for the Soviet people. While one can bear an Italian or French aria or duet in a concert, a full show with a complex plot is impossible; the audience starts nodding off after 15 minutes, and no genius music can save that experience. Naturally, I’m not speaking about opera connoisseurs or conservatory professors… and how many of them were there, especially in provincial towns during the Soviet era?
Basically, they were right to sing in Russian.
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Words in opera were originally not understood. Meaning that even when operas first appeared. This is why in Baroque operas, “recitative secco” is always present, where the plot actually moves, and arias, where typically just a few phrases are repeated, and the plot is at a standstill. Baroque composers understood – music dominates in Arias, Duets, Trios, etc., but the words there are incomprehensible. Hence, all the meaning shifts to the recitative – that’s where everything must be clear…
But that’s just information for thought.
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The times when they sang in Russian in Russia are long gone.
Now everywhere they sing in the original language. Both in the provinces and the capitals. Singing in Russian today is considered bad form. Even in my childhood city of Tashkent, they sing in Italian…
However, there are exceptions in the world.
ENO – English National Opera in London. Everyone sings in English there.
You would think, what problems could there be? We sing in English, the audience speaks English. Yet, 10 years ago, in 2005, subtitles appeared there, sparking a wild scandal, dozens of articles, and nearly a strike by offended singers. Yet, the management prevailed – now performances there go on with subtitles. In English.
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It’s just a matter of getting used to the idea that captions are necessary even when sung in one’s native language.
Why, you might ask?
Because in reality, when singers perform what we believe to be in the native language – it’s an illusion.
They sing in “opera language.”
And it’s a different language, which has quite a lot of differences from the language we speak.
I won’t go into detail here why. It’s just how the vocal apparatus of singers is structured, that when they sing complex fioriture, melismas, and various virtuosic passages say in Rossini operas, it’s never anticipated that the words will be comprehensible. The main focus is which vowels – ah, oh, oo – will land on which note, and how convenient it is for a given singer. Consonants, which make words understandable, get less attention. And when it comes to high notes – the main point and main pleasure for opera fans – it’s always somewhat of a leap for singers, and at that moment, they think least about the meaning.
The main thing is to hit the note!
And the singer knows that no one will judge him if he brilliantly hits the high C (for tenors) or the A-flat (for baritones) then all is forgiven, and there will be thunderous applause – even if he mixes up and sings something entirely different. However, if he sings the exact text beautifully, acts the part perfectly according to Stanislavsky, but messes up on a high note – he won’t see applause, he won’t see new engagements or contracts.
That’s how opera is structured.
And demanding good diction from a singer on extremely high notes is hopeless.
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And returning to the previously mentioned article by the American William Crutchfield, “Do you really need to understand what is said in the libretto?“ “NEED LIBRETTOS BE REALLY UNDERSTOOD?”
This article was published in 1984 in The New York Times and stirred a big discussion at the time. And despite over 30 years having passed, the issues it raised remain relevant.
The article discusses the staging of the opera La Rondine (\”The Swallow\”) by Giacomo Puccini at the “New York City Opera” when for the first time in the history of this theater (and America) surtitles were used (following Canada). Let me remind you that this opera is not among the popular ones; moreover, it lacks prominent musical hits, its plot is not straightforward, and if you do not understand what is being said, you are doomed to fall asleep after 15 minutes from the start.
Then they tried with titles – and suddenly everything became clear. And the audience liked it. Well, part of the audience. Meanwhile, another part started protesting. And voiced the usual and by now familiar arguments: 1) titles are distracting 2) titles interfere with listening to the music 3) titles interfere with watching the acting 4) titles hinder the direct interaction between the singer and the audience and 5) in opera, it’s not essential to understand everything. It’s possible not to understand anything at all. Opera should be listened to. Not watched.
These same arguments are advanced by opponents of titles even today. Indeed, there is a category of opera enthusiasts who go, as Dr. Samuel Johnson said, to the opera as an “exotic and irrational entertainment.”
And for a long time, it was precisely this. People went to the opera as to an astonishing, strange freak-show, where peculiar people in fantastic costumes sing with strange, unusual voices. No discussion of genuine passions, no one noticed the dramaturgy, and understanding what they were singing about was not necessary.
And so it was even in the times of Mozart and even the early Donizetti.
Gradually, with the arrival of Verdi and later the verismo composers, everything changed, and the audience began to realize that opera could offer much more than just a pleasing sound.
And then the problem of understanding the text arose, and for this, as I mentioned above, special librettos were made, they dimmed the lights so people could read.
In countries where the main language was not Italian, operas were translated into their language.
Though there were unique cases. For example, when they staged Delibes’ opera “Lakmé,” the composer was outraged that singer Nellie Melba was removed from the leading role because she had “bad French”. Delib ran to the opera house management, shouting, “Let her sing even in Chinese, but let her sing my opera, I don’t care if it will be unintelligible…”
I think today, there would be no problems. Titles would have saved poor Nellie.
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Hi, I'm Rauf Aliev. 