| Here are the reasons why most operas are | | | | many nuances in opera music and action. Subtitles, |
| performed in their original languages: | | | | titles, or supertitles don't cut it: they're distracting. |
| 1. Simplicity. Major opera companies employ star | | | | To appreciate opera fully, you have to follow the |
| performers from a whole bunch of different | | | | story very closely. |
| countries. Star power is supposedly a | | | | No composer writes music with a language in |
| moneymaker (that is no longer true, but opera's | | | | mind. That's just horse manure, no more and no |
| powers-that-be are too conservative for their | | | | less. A composer writes opera music with certain |
| own good). As a company manager, you don't | | | | VOWELS in mind. Those vowels are present in all |
| have to bother about troupe (team) issues, nor | | | | human languages except maybe some Bushmen |
| rehearsals, for that matter. On any given night, | | | | and Maori dialects. It would probably make sense |
| you have at your disposal a bass from Japan, a | | | | to perform operas in their original languages in |
| soprano from Italy, a tenor from Russia, a mezzo | | | | front of a Bushmen audience. |
| from Spain, a baritone from Arizona, and another | | | | Peter Tchaikovsky INSISTED that his operas be |
| baritone from Cuba, plus some extras from | | | | translated when performed abroad. I believe he |
| Mexico, France, and Germany. All of them know | | | | even had a hand in the German version of his |
| their parts in the original language (say, Italian). | | | | "Queen of Spades." Why this same "Queen of |
| Few of them can even speak English. No need to | | | | Spades" is performed in Russian - in Germany as |
| practice. Because so many of today's stars have | | | | well as in the States - is therefore still a mystery. |
| contracts with multiple companies, that Japanese | | | | For a long time British opera theatres performed |
| bass will be singing the same part in Germany | | | | opera in Queen's English. Russian opera theatres |
| tomorrow night and in Poland next week. He | | | | only switched to the original-language method |
| won't have to learn it in German or Polish: German | | | | twenty years ago. Seattle once did Richard |
| and Polish companies, too, use the original-language | | | | Wagner's entire "Ring Cycle" in English, and the |
| method. And so forth. Perhaps I shouldn't have | | | | sky did not fall on their heads. |
| said "simplicity." Rather, it is sloth, also known as | | | | 3. Stupidity. Some folks claim they don't |
| laziness, that's to blame. According to the Catholic | | | | understand the lyrics when opera is sung in English. |
| doctrine, sloth is one of the eight cardinal sins, but | | | | It's just so much gibberish to them. |
| no matter. | | | | Well, all it takes, really, is listening to the same |
| 2. Snobbery. Moderation is good for you. A bit of | | | | piece more than once or twice. There are only |
| snobbery now and then wouldn't hurt. It is | | | | sixteen great operas out there, so attending the |
| snobbery that keeps intelligent people from | | | | same ones repeatedly is not really a far-fetched |
| wearing exceedingly flashy clothes, uttering | | | | idea. Folks listen to the same popular songs over |
| platitudes, reading overhyped books, watching TV, | | | | and over again. You never hear anyone say, "No, |
| etc. Excessive snobbery, however, turns good | | | | I love that one, but I've heard it before, turn it |
| folks with insecurity complexes into thoughtless | | | | off." By the third time you've listened to the |
| machines. Thus, instead of saying that they don't | | | | English version of, say, "Aida," you'll know what's |
| know enough Italian (or German, or French, or | | | | going on. By the tenth time you've listened to |
| Russian) to appreciate a three-hour-long | | | | ANY opera in English, you'll ALWAYS know what's |
| performance and would much prefer listening to it | | | | going on, in any opera performed in English. It's |
| in their native language, many potential opera | | | | not rocket science. (Rocket science is not really |
| buffs and experts repeat again and again the | | | | rocket science either, for that matter, but that's a |
| industry's maxims, i.e. thata) Some of the value is | | | | whole different story). |
| lost when you translate an original libretto into a | | | | So, you see, there are no GOOD reasons to |
| different languageb) A composer writes his music | | | | perform opera in languages good folks don't |
| with a specific language in mindc) English is not | | | | understand. |
| really suited for opera | | | | The point is you're being robbed, dear opera buff. |
| All of which is vapid nonsense, of course. Here's | | | | The lazy/stupid/snobbish (take your pick) opera |
| why. | | | | powers-that-be are willfully depriving you (a paying |
| Opera texts present very little artistic value and | | | | customer, mind you) of your sacred right to get |
| would be totally worthless without the music. | | | | the most out of a performance. |
| Libretti are NOT poetry. They are functional lyrics, | | | | What to do? |
| i.e. lyrics that only have one function, which is to | | | | In the long run - I don't know. Protest? March on |
| SERVE the music. If they were really poetic, they | | | | the Met and Chicago Lyric with banners and |
| would only distract the listener. Even if they DID | | | | slogans? Open independent opera periodicals and |
| have some value, a lot more value (half of it, | | | | explain, explain, explain as patiently as you and I |
| roughly) is lost when the listeners don't | | | | can? |
| understand what the performers are singing. "A | | | | IN THE MEANTIME, though, you still need to enjoy |
| general idea" just doesn't cut it: there are too | | | | opera FULLY. |