# Magic Flute in English



## paige philips

Hi-I have found a couple of CDs of the Magic Flute in English-i've only heard it once-loved the music, but don't understand German, so i was pretty much lost. Is there anything wrong with listening to opera in translation? It doesn't affect the music does it? And if not, anybody know what the best English version is? Good sound is a major priority for me. Thanks !! Paige.


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## superhorn

There is an excellent Magic Flute in English on Chandos conducted by the late Sir Charles Mackerras . But most CD recordings of complete operas come with a booklet with a synopsis
of the opera and the original libretto with an English translation next to it,so you can easily 
follow what is going on and understand what the characters are singing about.
Not all do, usually the smaller record labels with pirated live recordings.
But the librettos and English translations can easily be downloaded from certain websites,such as Naxos records .
The Chandos Magic Flute is part of their series of famous operas sung in English translations.


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## Almaviva

There is also a very good DVD of The Magic Flute in English:










DVDs and blu-rays are often a good way to explore an opera in foreign language, because you can benefit from the subtitles and be able to follow the libretto this way quite easily. Of course, it's a mixed bag since some productions (like the one above) are very good and the imagery enhances the experience, while others are not.

But given that opera is a theatrical, staged art form that in addition to being a musical genre also incorporates acting, scenery, costumes, etc., I quite like the wide array of operas on DVD and blu-ray that are now available, which wasn't the case a couple of decades ago.

Of course, there is nothing wrong with doing what Superhorn just said - a good CD with a bilingual libretto. One advantage is that often the best historical performances only exist on audio media, and sometimes the productions that do exist on DVD or blu-ray don't have the best singing and/or conducting that you can find for each specific opera.

We have an area in Talk Classical exclusively for opera discussions (just scroll down and you'll see it among the various fora), and it contains a sub-forum entitled "Opera on DVD and Blu-ray" where you can find recommendations and reviews of DVDs and blu-rays for the most important operas. There is also an Opera on CD thread there, which will undergo significant development in the future (we plan to take better care of the Opera on CD topic once we finish an ongoing project to list the most recommended DVDs and blu-rays).

Now, for your question about opera in translation:

It depends. It's controversial. Some operas can be successfully performed in translation, especially when the composer supervises the work - it happened a few times in history, and continues to happen with contemporary opera composed by people who are still alive. Some others would suffer from a different intonation and rhythm of another language.

I like to give an example accessible to English speakers: that of one of the best operas (IMHO) in English, _Porgy and Bess. _The famous aria _Summertime_ which became an iconic song that spread out beyond the opera universe and into pop music is very beautiful in the way it explores the sounds and rhythm of the English language. The beautiful, long opening word with an ascending, descending, and ascending again wavy sound - Suuummeeeertiiiimeee.... - would be *completely* ruined in French translation, for example: étéeeeeeeeee.... :lol:.

See? Sometimes - I'd actually say more often than not - opera in translation suffers a setback in musicality, in the phrasing of the musical line.

I particularly prefer opera in original language, and don't even like The Magic Flute in English, not even the one I've just recommended to you - but I acknowledge that many others go berserk with the version and love it, that's why I made the recommendation.

Welcome to the board, and do join the opera forum if you're interested in opera.:tiphat: It's a friendly and often instructive place, if I may be so bold in advertising our little place.


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