Yes, I have attended many operas. The translation is usually printed on a screen above and a libretto handed out with the storyline. Either way, you can always understand the story from the context and scenery.
I understood it thanks to the projected "supertitles" and in the case of Lucia di Lammermoor (the last one I saw), my previous listening to it and following along with the libretto helped.
I have never, physically, attended an opera. I would, however, like to. I have seen operas on tv and have listened to Madame Butterfly. I have not understood a word of it but am intrigued that I don't. It sounds rather drastic. I would like to learn more about the opera.
This post was edited by Merlin at January 14, 2023 1:37 PM MST
Without translations, only partially. The costumes of the characters tell us who they are and their roles. How they behave towards each other gives much of the story. The music and the tones of the voices provide most of the emotion. Between these three, one can piece the narrative together.
But these days traditional operas(done in the style of the period) usually have a digital strip at the top of the proscenium arch. It runs a real-time translation of the words as they are sung. Another method is the projection of the original script on the left of the back-drop, with the English translation projected on the left. This works best on plain backgrounds with minimalist/modern stage settings.
It can be a tricky thing to divide one's attention between reading and performance. Fortunately, much of the script is repetitive. So one soon learns to read any new set of words, then return one's attention to the stage to watch the repeats, this time knowing what it means and projecting one's understanding into how the artists interpret and deliver.
I'm not a total opera fan. I like Mozart best, can't bear Verdi, and can only handle a Gilbert and Sullivan once.
I PERFORMED in it - Die Zauberflöte. I played Papageno, the sidekick of Prince Tarino. Tarino does all the stereotypical "operatic prince" things, trying to win the hand of the princess. Papageno is irreverent, takes nothing seriously including himself and is basically just chasing skirt. The Queen of the Night eventually settles him down somewhat with "ein Weibchen", a "little wife" who is just as madcap - a female version of himself. I was in the chorus for a few others, but that one I was pitched into as the understudy - the rôle is too demanding for the average 19-year-old, but I wasn't your average teenager and I identified with the character. The lead baritone got the flu so I had to handle it. I sang it well but acted it abysmally - I'm a born ham.
I don't live in an area that has live opera. I do like opera a lot, if it's not in English. The music and the singers/actors form the story in my imagination, which can be better than the original story.
This post was edited by NYAD at January 15, 2023 6:32 PM MST
Thriftymaid 