March 28, 2007
Operatic Gadget
In the last few years, Opera theaters around the world have been offering simultaneous translation of the librettos, speeches and dialogues as they are performed on stage. It makes the whole experience more enjoyable and especially more accessible to non-opera experts. I've been to operas where the text has scrolled across a screen over the stage, or on the side, and once n Vienna, the text scrolled on a screen fitted into the seat in front of me.
The technology behind the Vienna Opera House seats and many other such installations, is thanks to a company called Figaro Systems, which is literally initiating a whole new generation of theatergoers into the performing arts.
Multilingual text displays from Figaro Systems help theaters reach wider audiences - with 20,000+ installed worldwide since 1998.
From the Royal Opera House Covent Garden to La Scala to the Teatro Perez Galdos re-opening in Las Palmas in April, this personalized cultural experience allows individuals to choose subtitle translations - in their own language.
Of relevance to this column, their technology can extend from personal seatback systems, to handheld wireless devices to LED supertitle screens, delivering up to seven simultaneous translations.
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