Singing translation vs literal translation: what opera singers need to know

Singers meet translation in two forms: a literal text studied at the desk and a singing text an audience hears in the theater. They solve different problems^1,3. This page is part of the libretti section.

Two purposes, two kinds of translation

Gene Hsu of the Chartered Institute of Linguists draws the line between lyrics and text. Lyrics are singable, while a song text may not be¹. The translation approach will depend on the reason for producing the target text¹.

When the purpose is to preserve the meaning without considering singability, the text must be translated faithfully, 100%¹. That is the literal translation you study. When the purpose is singing, the meaning of the target lyrics will not be the same as that of the source lyrics¹. One proposed scale holds that singable target lyrics retain 91% or more of the original meaning of the source lyrics¹.

What a singing translator does

Amanda Holden, an opera translator, writes that a translator must match the original’s inflexion, sense, rhyme, clarity and singability⁵. An opera translator must hear what is on the page before writing new words⁵. A translator must be ready to rewrite, because even one syllable can make all the difference³.

Singable lyrics should be possible to sing, suitable for singing and easy to sing¹. Songwriters can adjust the order of the words in the target lyrics to adapt the syllables to the music¹. Peter Low suggests translators pay attention to vowels in order to produce songs that rhyme when sung¹. Singing translations are written to be sung and heard, not read or said³. Words for singing are written for the singers as much as for the audience³.

The audience will never be able to make out all the words in ensembles anyway³. Nobody needs to understand every word, whatever language it is in³. If earlier sung translations failed, it may have been because the words were old-fashioned and sounded clunky³.

Holden’s method

An obituary of Holden in The Telegraph records how she worked: she started with a literal translation, then shaped the rendition by echoing the original⁸. She made the vocal lines fit the music like a glove⁸. She told translators that they are writing words to be heard, not read⁸. She was known for a blessed ability to write words that are easily singable⁸.

How singability is defined

A University of Geneva paper on singability frames singability as a function of a complex interaction between music and language⁶. Melisma and prosodic constraints turn out to be stronger limits on singable lyrics than semantic ones⁶. Franzon proposes a layered view with prosodic, poetic and semantic-reflexive concerns⁶. The main argument is that the prosodic aspects pose the most essential constraints⁶.

Low (2005) sets out five criteria for song translation: singability, sense, naturalness, rhythm and rhyme⁶. Opera translators work against the notes as well. Notes of classical works may not be altered for translation purposes⁶, though Apter and Herman say adding and deleting notes is permissible for aesthetic effect⁶. For singable target lyrics, a translator may write new lyrics, adapt the translation to the music, or adapt the music⁶.

Opera in English, or the original with surtitles

English National Opera sticks to the vernacular policy established by its founder, Lilian Baylis⁵. Other companies have moved toward using original language with surtitles, which Holden calls an easier option⁵. Opera in English is unlikely to be phased out⁵. For a historical example, Verdi commissioned English translations of Otello and Falstaff for their London premieres³. Mozart wrote The Magic Flute in German for a popular audience in Vienna⁵; see the Magic Flute guide.

How surtitles work

Surtitles, also called supertitles, are translated or transcribed lyrics or dialogue projected above a stage or displayed on a screen⁴. They came into widespread use in the 1990s to translate the meaning of the lyrics into the audience’s language⁴. They are different from subtitles, which are more often used in filmmaking and television production⁴. Surtitles can be a distraction, focusing attention on the titles instead of the stage, so personal titling systems were developed⁴. The Metropolitan Opera installed the patented Met Titles, becoming the first house in the United States to use this system⁴. Titles in the theatre have proven a commercial success in areas such as opera⁴.

What this means for the practice room

Singers who perform in the original language still translate. At Opera Atelier, role learning includes phonetic transcription, translation, declamation and characterization⁷. The goals include correct and clear diction, paraphrase and word-by-word translation⁷. Translating happens alongside the other preparation steps; see how to learn a role.

• A literal translation serves to know what a phrase means: its purpose is to preserve the meaning¹.
• A singing translation is its own text, because its meaning will not be the same as the source’s¹.

Building your own study translation

Two kinds of study text exist. A poetic translation is loosely based on the original and captures the overall form and idea of the poem⁹. A word-for-word translation defines every word regardless of grammatical accuracy, so it will not make sense in the target language⁹.

Singers and teachers debate which to start with. Most start with the word-for-word, so the translator’s bias does not color the first reading⁹. If you know nothing of the original language, start with the poetic version and return to it after the word-for-word⁹.

Work the word-for-word text carefully. WordReference lacks the archaic words that turn up in art songs, and paper dictionaries fill those gaps⁹. Write down every possible translation of each target word⁹. Then read several poetic translations: different translators read the emotional nature of the same poem differently⁹. Research the poet, any proper nouns in the text and the period it was written⁹. Set the translation beside the original so each passage lines up with it; a translation that does not line up is harder to read⁹.

Where to find literal translations

The University of Hartford Libraries list IPA transcriptions and literal translations of opera arias and art song texts². Its aria database gives translations as well as range, tessitura, setting and synopsis². It also lists a book with texts and translations for over 150 famous arias, plus dramatic and musical context and interpretation advice². Word-by-word translations of German, French and Italian songs and arias exist as reference books².

For help reading the libretto itself, see how to read a libretto, and for texts you can reuse freely, public-domain libretti.