What language?

[Sybarite]

Developing a question raised by Kurkikohtaus in the thread on Czech composers, in terms of sung music, do you prefer the libretto to be sung in the original language or your own and why?

To elaborate a little: when I saw Die Fledermaus a few weeks ago, it was in an English translation.

Now, I've long been a believer in opera being in the original language, but I enjoyed being able to fully understand this. Perhaps I can live without lyrics that peak at 'Your tiny hand is frozen' and simply wallow in the music, but it struck me that, particularly in works that are humourous and/or satirical, there is a benefit to being able to understand the libretto as quickly and clearly as possible. I imagine that it would be difficult, indeed, for many non-English speakers to appreciate a Gilbert and Sullivan work if they couldn't understand the lyrics.

But then again, with great choral works such as Bach's St Matthew Passion or Mozart's Requiem, the words themselves are irrelevant to me, so it matters not whether they're in German, Latin or English.

What do other posters feel?

[Kromme]

I believe they should be in their own language i mean when i listen to a work several times and when i got familiar with it i know what the words are all about and i want to hear the original work so i prefer it to be in original language

[Art Rock]

I don't think any will be translated into Dutch... although I do have an intriguing version of Schuberts Winterreise in a Dutch translation. Anyway, I always prefer the original language rather than a translation into e.g. English.

[rojo]

I prefer the original language as well, but last time I went to an opera, there was a pixel board above the stage with english and french translations. Which was helpful to know what was going on...

[Krummhorn]

Indeed true, Rojo ... When I attended Tannhauser opera in Budapest, the on stage language was in the vernacular, but they also had the pixel boards with english and hungarian displayed.

It is also my personal preference that opera should always be sung in its original language ... the lyrics in direct translation don't always match the intended note timings the composer had originally penned, and in that respect, some of the impact of the piece can be lost.