Electronic libretto
Encyclopedia
The Electronic libretto system is used primarily in opera houses and is a device which presents translations of lyrics into an audience's language or transcribes lyrics that may be difficult to understand in the sung form.
Since 1983, projected Supertitles or surtitles have been commonly used in opera
or other theatrical and musical performances and they have proven to be a commercial success in art forms such as opera which are generally performed in their original language.
However, for many people, supertitles interfered with their enjoyment of a performance, because they tended to find themselves following the titles and not giving their full attention to the stage. This problem was solved by the development of an electronic libretto system, which utilizes individual screens placed on the back of each seat, thus allowing patrons either to view a translation or to switch them off during the performance.
Although initially developed by technicians at the Santa Fe Opera
, the Metropolitan Opera
was the first to install the system which they describe as Met Titles. The electronic libretto system was further developed and patented, in the US, as ‘’Simultext’’ by Figaro Systems of Santa Fe, New Mexico
with the Santa Fe Opera becoming the second house to adopt it after its 1997/98 refurbishment.
Opera houses such as the Valencia Opera House, the National Noh Theatre
in Tokyo
, the Vienna State Opera
in Vienna
, the Liceu
in Barcelona
, the Royal Opera House
in London
and the Teatro degli Arcimboldi
and La Scala
(both in Milan
) have added the electronic titles, the latter providing English
and Italian
translations in addition to the original language of the opera.
Other companies have developed similar technologies, such as Sonoidea in Spain, Visutech in Denmark, Radio Marconi in Italy, 3Com in US and Rokko Denki in Japan.
In the US
, various of these systems are now to be found at the Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
, Ellie Caulkins Opera House
in Denver, Colorado
, at the Des Moines Metro Opera
, the Seattle Opera
, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and in the Roy O. Disney Theatre, a part of the National Hispanic Cultural Center
in Albuquerque, New Mexico
.
This technology, which costs about $1,000 per seat, has been added or planned for during initial construction (as was the case with Santa Fe where it was added one year after the opening of the third opera house in 1998) or during planned renovation (as with La Scala during its two-year closure period). The installations of the Met, La Scala and the Arcimboldi, the Vienna State Opera, Liceu, and the Royal Opera House were possible with the donations of the philanthropist Alberto Vilar
, at the time a majority shareholder of Figaro Systems.
Today, a new trend is the multimedia interactive electronic libretto technology, installed in 2011 in the Royal Opera House in Muscat , Sultanate of Oman. The event on stage become an interactive and multimedia experience that has the power to capture the audience's attention and involve people in the show. The audience can decide to view videos, texts, theatre information, surveys, or ask for assistance just by touching his/her personal screen. The video area will display the chosen content and, in the text multilanguage area, the related information appears as well as personal messages. This technology is able to shift the problem of the installation cost per seat to the revenue generation per seat thanks to its embedded marketing and merchandising features.
Since 1983, projected Supertitles or surtitles have been commonly used in opera
Opera
Opera is an art form in which singers and musicians perform a dramatic work combining text and musical score, usually in a theatrical setting. Opera incorporates many of the elements of spoken theatre, such as acting, scenery, and costumes and sometimes includes dance...
or other theatrical and musical performances and they have proven to be a commercial success in art forms such as opera which are generally performed in their original language.
However, for many people, supertitles interfered with their enjoyment of a performance, because they tended to find themselves following the titles and not giving their full attention to the stage. This problem was solved by the development of an electronic libretto system, which utilizes individual screens placed on the back of each seat, thus allowing patrons either to view a translation or to switch them off during the performance.
Although initially developed by technicians at the Santa Fe Opera
Santa Fe Opera
The Santa Fe Opera is an American opera company, located north of Santa Fe in the U.S. state of New Mexico, headquartered on a former guest ranch of .-General history:...
, the Metropolitan Opera
Metropolitan Opera
The Metropolitan Opera is an opera company, located in New York City. Originally founded in 1880, the company gave its first performance on October 22, 1883. The company is operated by the non-profit Metropolitan Opera Association, with Peter Gelb as general manager...
was the first to install the system which they describe as Met Titles. The electronic libretto system was further developed and patented, in the US, as ‘’Simultext’’ by Figaro Systems of Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe, New Mexico
Santa Fe is the capital of the U.S. state of New Mexico. It is the fourth-largest city in the state and is the seat of . Santa Fe had a population of 67,947 in the 2010 census...
with the Santa Fe Opera becoming the second house to adopt it after its 1997/98 refurbishment.
Opera houses such as the Valencia Opera House, the National Noh Theatre
National Noh Theatre
The opened in Sendagaya, Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan in September 1983. The auditorium seats 591 for performances of Noh and Kyōgen, and there is also a rehearsal stage, exhibition area, lecture room, and reference library.-External links:...
in Tokyo
Tokyo
, ; officially , is one of the 47 prefectures of Japan. Tokyo is the capital of Japan, the center of the Greater Tokyo Area, and the largest metropolitan area of Japan. It is the seat of the Japanese government and the Imperial Palace, and the home of the Japanese Imperial Family...
, the Vienna State Opera
Vienna State Opera
The Vienna State Opera is an opera house – and opera company – with a history dating back to the mid-19th century. It is located in the centre of Vienna, Austria. It was originally called the Vienna Court Opera . In 1920, with the replacement of the Habsburg Monarchy by the First Austrian...
in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
, the Liceu
Liceu
The Gran Teatre del Liceu , or simply Liceu in Catalan and Liceo in Spanish, is an opera house on La Rambla in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain...
in Barcelona
Barcelona
Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain after Madrid, and the capital of Catalonia, with a population of 1,621,537 within its administrative limits on a land area of...
, the Royal Opera House
Royal Opera House
The Royal Opera House is an opera house and major performing arts venue in Covent Garden, central London. The large building is often referred to as simply "Covent Garden", after a previous use of the site of the opera house's original construction in 1732. It is the home of The Royal Opera, The...
in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and the Teatro degli Arcimboldi
Teatro degli Arcimboldi
The Teatro degli Arcimboldi is a theatre and opera house in Milan which was built over a twenty-seven month period in anticipation of the closure and subsequent nearly three-year long renovation of Milan's La Scala opera house in December 2001...
and La Scala
La Scala
La Scala , is a world renowned opera house in Milan, Italy. The theatre was inaugurated on 3 August 1778 and was originally known as the New Royal-Ducal Theatre at La Scala...
(both in Milan
Milan
Milan is the second-largest city in Italy and the capital city of the region of Lombardy and of the province of Milan. The city proper has a population of about 1.3 million, while its urban area, roughly coinciding with its administrative province and the bordering Province of Monza and Brianza ,...
) have added the electronic titles, the latter providing English
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
and Italian
Italian language
Italian is a Romance language spoken mainly in Europe: Italy, Switzerland, San Marino, Vatican City, by minorities in Malta, Monaco, Croatia, Slovenia, France, Libya, Eritrea, and Somalia, and by immigrant communities in the Americas and Australia...
translations in addition to the original language of the opera.
Other companies have developed similar technologies, such as Sonoidea in Spain, Visutech in Denmark, Radio Marconi in Italy, 3Com in US and Rokko Denki in Japan.
In the US
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, various of these systems are now to be found at the Miami's Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts
Adrienne Arsht Center for the Performing Arts, commonly called The Arsht Center, is Florida's largest performing arts center and is located on Biscayne Boulevard in the Omni neighborhood of Downtown, Miami, Florida, United States...
, Ellie Caulkins Opera House
Ellie Caulkins Opera House
The Ellie Caulkins Opera House, which opened on September 10, 2005, is located in Denver, Colorado as part of the large Denver Performing Arts Complex. It seats 2,225...
in Denver, Colorado
Denver, Colorado
The City and County of Denver is the capital and the most populous city of the U.S. state of Colorado. Denver is a consolidated city-county, located in the South Platte River Valley on the western edge of the High Plains just east of the Front Range of the Rocky Mountains...
, at the Des Moines Metro Opera
Des Moines Metro Opera
The Des Moines Metro Opera is based in Indianola, Iowa, a town of approximately 14,000 located 12 miles south of Des Moines, Iowa. DMMO was founded by Dr. Robert L. Larsen and Douglas Duncan in 1973. A summer opera festival, the company usually performs three operas in rolling repertory during...
, the Seattle Opera
Seattle Opera
The Seattle Opera is an opera company located in Seattle, Washington. Founded in 1963 by Glynn Ross, who served as the company's first general director through 1983, Seattle Opera's season runs from August to late May, with five or six operas offered and with eight to ten performances each, often...
, Lyric Opera of Kansas City, and in the Roy O. Disney Theatre, a part of the National Hispanic Cultural Center
National Hispanic Cultural Center
The National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque, New Mexico is an establishment for preserving and promoting the culture of the Spanish-speaking world...
in Albuquerque, New Mexico
New Mexico
New Mexico is a state located in the southwest and western regions of the United States. New Mexico is also usually considered one of the Mountain States. With a population density of 16 per square mile, New Mexico is the sixth-most sparsely inhabited U.S...
.
This technology, which costs about $1,000 per seat, has been added or planned for during initial construction (as was the case with Santa Fe where it was added one year after the opening of the third opera house in 1998) or during planned renovation (as with La Scala during its two-year closure period). The installations of the Met, La Scala and the Arcimboldi, the Vienna State Opera, Liceu, and the Royal Opera House were possible with the donations of the philanthropist Alberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar
Alberto Vilar , a.k.a., Albert Vilar, is a Cuban-American investor and philanthropist from West Orange, NJ, particularly known as a patron of opera. He was tried and convicted in November 2008 on charges of money laundering, investment advisor fraud, securities fraud, wire fraud and mail fraud,...
, at the time a majority shareholder of Figaro Systems.
Today, a new trend is the multimedia interactive electronic libretto technology, installed in 2011 in the Royal Opera House in Muscat , Sultanate of Oman. The event on stage become an interactive and multimedia experience that has the power to capture the audience's attention and involve people in the show. The audience can decide to view videos, texts, theatre information, surveys, or ask for assistance just by touching his/her personal screen. The video area will display the chosen content and, in the text multilanguage area, the related information appears as well as personal messages. This technology is able to shift the problem of the installation cost per seat to the revenue generation per seat thanks to its embedded marketing and merchandising features.