Thanks to a generous grant from JPMorgan Chase, Regina Opera has been able to provide English supertitles for all its productions, beginning with the March 2008 production of La Traviata.
Our supertitles are original English translations by Linda Cantoni, based on the original libretti. The translations are as close to literal as possible while maintaining easy readability.
Our supertitles are available for rental. The rental includes a PowerPoint file on a CD and a piano/vocal score marked in pencil with slide cues and standard cuts (the score must be returned to us in the condition in which you received it).
The titles are in a large white bold font on a black banner background, making them easy for your audience to read. Here's a sample from La Traviata:
Blank slides have been inserted at appropriate points where there is no singing, or where vocal passages are repeated. Standard cuts are used. If you want to open any cuts, we can add new slides for an additional fee.
You may, of course, customize the PowerPoint file to meet your needs (e.g., if you want to make additional cuts), but you must obtain our permission in writing before making significant changes to the translation itself, which is copyrighted by Linda Cantoni.
We have supertitles for the following operas:
La Traviata
Il Trovatore
Lucia di Lammermoor
Gianni Schicchi
Faust
Don Giovanni
Don Pasquale
Carmen
Tosca (available after November 28, 2010)
The Tales of Hoffmann (available after June 12, 2011)
For more information and rental pricing, please e-mail Fran Garber at info@reginaopera.org. A deposit will be required; it will be refunded when we receive the score back.
We regret that our projection equipment is not available for rental.
You'll need the following to run the supertitles:
1. A multimedia projector. Depending on the size of your venue, you'll need one capable of at least 3,000 lumens. We use the Optoma EP910, which is 3,500 lumens. It's mounted on the ceiling of our 350-seat auditorium, about 10 feet from the stage. There are several commercial outfits that rent projectors if you're not able to buy one.
2. A laptop computer with Microsoft PowerPoint (version 97 or later). (We can provide a self-executing PowerPoint file upon request, but you won't be able to edit the slides without a full version of PowerPoint.)
3. A projection screen. A perfectly serviceable screen can be made easily from foamboard or canvas, painted black. Ours is about 7' long and 2' high, and is hung over the teaser.
4. Depending on where your laptop will be stationed, you may also need a long VGA cable to connect the laptop to the projector, and a ceiling mount if you're mounting the projector on the ceiling of your venue.
5. A supertitles operator who can read music, is familiar with the opera, and has enough basic knowledge of PowerPoint to run the slideshow. Ideally, the supertitles operator should also be familiar with the conductor's tempi and with the staging; running the supertitles at a dress rehearsal is highly recommended.