Eric Kisch, on surtitles, wrote:

>The biggest argument against translation is that you lose the sound of the
>original, which is part of its music.

That's the key point.  I speak no Italian at all, yet I go through my
favorite operas with libretto in hand at least once a year.  To see how
Puccini manipulates words and music is a real illumination and expansion
of the entire package.  Much of that would be lost in a translation.

>Finally, to really follow dialogue and singing line by line you need
>to follow a libretto, which is well nigh impossible in the dark and in
>generally cramped seats.

And think of all the complaints -- umm, from certain Listers in attendance?
-- at the sound of pages turning every few seconds.

>So what's wrong with putting up a curtailed version of the text where
>everyone who wants to can see it? And pretty well get the gist of what's
>going on moment by moment.

If I would have thought of that first, I would have said it myself.

Mitch Friedfeld