Call for papers for Doletiana, review on Translation, Literature and Arts, University Autonoma of Barcelona. Issue number 3, “Opera and Translation ”

The staging of any Opera is the result of a process of translation comprising five differentiated tasks: the singing text, the libretto, the subtitles, the audiodescription, and the adaptation for the mise-en-scene.

Although the translation of the singing text is nowadays not very common due to the fact that Operas are presented in their original language, there have been times when translations of the text were done with the aim to make accessible its meaning to a wider audience. This type of translation entails specific challenges as the translator has to accommodate the translated words to the melodic and rhythmic characteristics of the music.

However, the most common practices of Opera translation are the libretto translation and the writing of subtitles. These are both basic practices in any contemporary Opera Theatre with prestige. As per the audiodescription, it is a very recent translation practice that has nevertheless gained a rapid acceptance as it makes Opera works accessible to people with visual impairment. Finally, the mise-en-scene of an Opera is in itself a process of interpretation and adaption that entails a transformation of the writing code to visual and aural codes. Hence, translating Opera is a process that calls for approaches from various perspectives, such as semiotics, visual, aural and kinetics among others.

Doletiana. Revista de Traducció, Literatura i Arts is making a call for contributions for its issue number 3. The aim of the call is to go deeper into the analysis of the various processes involved in the transformation and adaptation of an Opera, from the start to the opening. Hence, the term “translation” is here understood very widely, taking into consideration interlingual translation as well as intersemiotic translation. Contributions about Musical Theatre and Musical Drama from traditions other than the European are welcome.

Proposals of approximately 300 words should be sent no later than May 15, 2010 to Anna Corral (ana.corral@uab.cat). Please send abstracts with title, author(s) name, affiliation and e-mail in word, and name the attached file by using the 3 first letters of your name in capitals followed by doletiana3.

Further details will be sent once the proposals will be accepted. Submission deadline for final articles is October 30, 2010.

For further information please contact http://www.fti.uab.cat/doletiana/