# Strange Question on Libretti



## crmoorhead (Apr 6, 2011)

Who exactly owns the rights to the libretti of an opera? Does copyright expire for libretti? What about translations?


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

I think the librettist owns the rights. Or the translator. At least it would seem so.

For instance, the score/vocal score for Ravel's opera L'Enfant et les Sortileges was published in 1925, and Ravel died in 1937. So the opera should have been in the public domain (which is the life of the composer + 70 years), but because the librettist, Colette died in 1954, the opera is still copyright protected, and won't be in the public domain until 2024.


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## sunandshadow (Sep 21, 2012)

The librettist would by default, but it could be different if the opera was written on commission.


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## mamascarlatti (Sep 23, 2009)

Aksel said:


> I think the librettist owns the rights. Or the translator. At least it would seem so.
> 
> For instance, the score/vocal score for Ravel's opera L'Enfant et les Sortileges was published in 1925, and Ravel died in 1937. So the opera should have been in the public domain (which is the life of the composer + 70 years), but because the librettist, Colette died in 1954, the opera is still copyright protected, and won't be in the public domain until 2024.


Aah, no wonder it's such a good libretto. I love Colette's books.


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## crmoorhead (Apr 6, 2011)

Aksel said:


> I think the librettist owns the rights. Or the translator. At least it would seem so.
> 
> For instance, the score/vocal score for Ravel's opera L'Enfant et les Sortileges was published in 1925, and Ravel died in 1937. So the opera should have been in the public domain (which is the life of the composer + 70 years), but because the librettist, Colette died in 1954, the opera is still copyright protected, and won't be in the public domain until 2024.


Does that mean that the music can have a different copyright expiry than the words? Also, which country are we talking about?

Presuming that the 70 years holds true, then anything by librettists who died earlier than 1941 should be public domain as long as it is the original libretto and not a translation.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

crmoorhead said:


> Does that mean that the music can have a different copyright expiry than the words? Also, which country are we talking about?
> 
> Presuming that the 70 years holds true, then anything by librettists who died earlier than 1941 should be public domain as long as it is the original libretto and not a translation.


We're talking the EU and the US. Copyright in Canada is life+50 years.

And yes, that would be true, I think. Although I don't really know. But IMSLP's section on what is and what isn't public domain is really good, and I urge you to check it out.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

mamascarlatti said:


> Aah, no wonder it's such a good libretto. I love Colette's books.


Keng-ça-fou, Mah-jong,
Keng-ça-fou, puis'-kong-kong-pran-pa,
Ça-oh-râ, Ça-oh-râ…
Ça-oh-râ, Cas-ka-ra, harakiri, Sessue Hayakawa
Hâ! Hâ! Ça-oh-râ toujours l'air chinoâ.

Best libretto ever.


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## Aksel (Dec 3, 2010)

Not to forget the absolutely amazing

Quatre et quat'dix-huit,
Onze et six vingt-cinq,
Quatre et quat'dix-huit,
Sept fois neuf trente-trois!


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## drpraetorus (Aug 9, 2012)

If they're smart, the composer, libretisist, and anybody else involved will have that all written out in a legal contract.


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## Aliputput (Apr 12, 2013)

This seems like the right place to ask: where can I obtain the rights to perform L'Enfant? I run a youth theatre company, and I think it would be an incredibly perfect fit for my students (ages 7-22). Also, and decent English translations out there? That is preferable, as we do not have the means to provide subtitles. However, doing it in French would be a wonderful challenge as well.

Thank you!


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## Ritter (Apr 11, 2013)

crmoorhead said:


> Who exactly owns the rights to the libretti of an opera? Does copyright expire for libretti? What about translations?


I think it is the publisher of the score (which includes the lyrics), like the well-known Ricordi, and of course the rights expire after a certain period of time.


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