Front of House Feedback

READERS’ LETTERS Language matters I agree with Benjamin Poore in his well balanced article on surtitles (‘Surtitles – an art in themselves?’, Opera Now, January 2022), when he remarks that ‘Surtitles are a way of sharpening what can he hard to hear, whether in vernacular or translation’. Even operas in English sung by English-native speakers can be hard for other nativespeakers to hear because of the heavy enunciation. So, I would suggest that it would be of enormous benefit to one’s appreciation of an opera if surtitles could always display the language in which the text is being sung. One could immediately decode the singing in terms of the words actually being sung – rather than depend on the translation to recognise the words being sung in English.

As many translations don’t fit the text, one would much better appreciate the singing in the original language if only one could hear the actual words. I could give many examples I have experienced having to do this, the latest being the Austrian premiere of Tobias Picker’s Thérèse Raquin at the Kammeroper in Vienna, with coincidentally Julia Mintzer, whom Poole mentions, as Thérèse. What are the chances of opera houses putting such a suggestion into practice? (Prof Dr) John Kirk, via email

The right answer How I wish that the answers to the Opera Now Quiz were in the same magazine. I’ve lost all interest by the time the next issue arrives. Please do give them. Rolf Samuels, via email

Thank you to Ms Jeffs and all other readers who have made this request. The answers to the current issue’s quiz (on page 82)

will from now on be printed in the same issue (page 79 in this issue). They can also be viewed online at www.operanow.co.uk

Correction Some egregious errors slipped into our cover feature in the March 2022 issue of Opera Now. Freddie de Tommaso has asked us to point out that he chose to study in Munich at the Bayerische Staatsoper’s studio, not at the Jette Parker Young Artist programme in London. The tenor also said that, contrary to what was stated in the interview, Don José in Bizet’s Carmen is a heavy role, pointing out, ‘It’s the heaviest role I’ve sung to date.’

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Sung in English with English supertitles above the stage April 23 - May 1, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Inspired by Contemporary Events

April 23 - May 1, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

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