EDU

A RTC BROADCAST – RETE TOSCANA CLASSICA
December 14, 2016, 15:40
December 16, 2016, 10:40

2016
As part of «Musical Chronicles», edited by Luca Berni, RTC broadcasts the radio event
1986-2016. THE SURTITLING IN EUROPE IS 30 YEARS OLD
Interview with Luca Berni and Mauro Conti,
with the participation of Aloma Bardi and Stefano Bozolo
Sound engineer Valentina Marchi
Rete Toscana Classica

SURTITLING · A COMPLEX ART OF SIMPLICITY

1986-2016 | 1996-2016
30 Years of Surtitling in Europe
20 Years of Prescott Studio

2016
Video Testimonials by Cristiano Bacchi for Prescott Studio
on the occasion of the staging of «Iolanta» by Čajkovskij
79th Maggio Musicale Fiorentino 2016
Florence, Opera di Firenze – 28, 30 April, 3, 5 May 2016

ACCIDENTAL ACROBATICS

Surtitling strategies for the theater

2015
Video by Isabella Babbucci and Prescott Studio
Texts based on a videoconference by Mauro Conti
Schmitt Hall 119, November 19th 2015, 4:00 p.m. – «Italian Translation – A Series of Talks With Experts in the Field»
Montclair State University, NJ, USA – The College of Humanities and Social Sciences
Spearheaded and sponsored by Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies

TRANSLATING VOICES ACROSS CONTINENTS – TVAC

Surtitling for Theater

2015
A project by Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies – Montclair State University, NJ, USA
and by Prescott Studio, Florence, Italy
On the occasion of Expo Milano 2015 and of Piccolo Teatro di Milano 2015 Season (May-October)
Video by Matteo Minasi (Cinemattic Ltd)

A COMPASS FOR THE THEATER

From the subtitles for the cinema to the surtitles for the live performing arts.
A journey in 11 steps

2015
Video by Isabella Babbucci and Prescott Studio ©
Texts after the participation by Mauro Conti at the international workshop
«Reading Foreign Voices», Decembert 5th, 2014
Montclair State University, NJ, USA, Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies,
College of Humanities and Social Sciences

PERSPECTIVES ON AUDIOVISUAL TRANSLATION

Film, opera, and theater sub- and sur-titles across languages

2014
Reading Foreign Voices. A project by Montclair State University, NJ, USA – December 5th 2014
Montclair State University, NJ, USA, by means of Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, has organized on December 5th 2014 the meeting Reading Foreign Voices. Prescott Studio was hosted with its own workshop.
Video by Matteo Minasi (Cinemattic Ltd) for Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies.

READING VOICES

Reading Voices

2013
Concept, direction and shooting: Cristiano Bacchi, ABC Studios, for Prescott Studio ©
Shooting and pictures: Milan, Teatro Strehler, March 28th 2013, Backstage of Simon Armitage’s «Odyssey», from Homer, staged by Piccolo Teatro di Milano, Theatre of Europe, together with Greece National Theatre, Athens. Project, direction, set and light design Robert Wilson. Italian surtitling, from Greek, Prescott Studio.

LET’S CALL THE WHOLE THING OFF

Language Misleadings

2013
Isabella Babbucci for Prescott Studio ©
A divertissement about the language misleadings: music George Gershwin, lyrics Ira Gershwin (from «Shall We Dance», 1937). Billie Holiday sings.

AUDEN W. H., in collaboration with KALLMAN C., Translating Opera Libretti, in The Dyer’s Hand and Other Essays, New York: Random House, 1948, pp. 483-499

BACCOLINI R., BOLLETTIERI BOSSINELLI R. M., GAVIOLI L., eds., Il doppiaggio. Trasposizioni linguistiche e culturali, Bologna: Clueb, 1994

BAINES R., MARINETTI C., PERTEGHELLA M., eds., Staging and performing translation: Text and theatre practice, Basingstoke, Hampshire-New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2011

BAKER M., In other words. A coursebook on translation, New York: Routledge, 2011

BALDACCI L., La musica in italiano, Milano: Rizzoli, 1997

BARDI A., Parola cantata o recitata e parola scritta. Pensieri per i primi dieci anni di Prescott Studio, in Prescott Studio. 1996-2006: Catalogo delle produzioni. Dieci anni di sopratitoli in Italia e in Europa, pp. 11-13, Firenze-Scandicci, 2007

BASSNETT S., Translation studies, New York: Routledge, 2002

BASSNETT S., LEVEVERE A., eds., Translation, history, and culture, London-New York: Pinter, 1990; in part. Chapter 6, Still trapped in the labyrinth: Further reflections on translations and theatre, by Susann Bassnett, pp. 90-108

BASSNETT S., TRIVEDI H., eds., Post-colonial translation: Theory and practice, London-New York: Routledge, 1999

BASSNETT S., Translation Studies, London: Methuen, 1980; 2nd ed. London-New York: Routledge, 1991

BATAILLON M., Quelques rudiments sur le sur-titrage, introduction to the meeting «Surtitrage, l’esprit et la lettre», Paris, Théâtre de l’Odéon, February 3, 2014, ed. by Laurent Muhleisen and Maison Antoine Vitez (Centre International de la Traduction Théâtrale)

BATAILLON M., MUHLEISEN L., DIEZ P.-Y, Guide du sur-titrage au théâtre, Paris: Maison Antoine Vitez (Centre International de la Traduction Théâtrale), 2016 (publication out of print, available for download at www.maisonantoinevitez.com/fr/sur-titrage.html)

BESTENTE S., Buon compleanno, sopratitoli, 16 July 2008, in http://www.fierrabras.com/2008/07/16/buon-compleanno-sopratitoli/

BRADY-BROWN A., A Sur-thing, in «Exberliner», June 7th, 2012, in http://www.exberliner.com/culture/stage/a-sur-thing/

BRUTI S., ZANOTTI S., Frontiere della traduzione audiovisiva: il fenomeno del funsubbing e i suoi aspetti linguistici, in Atti del 12° Congresso dell’Associazione italiana di linguistica applicata. Comunicare le discipline attraverso le lingue (Macerata, 23-24 febbraio 2012), pp. 119-142, ed. by C. Bosisio and S. Cavagnoli, Perugia: Guerra Edizioni, 2013

BURTON, J., The Art and Craft of Opera Surtitling, in DÍAZ-CINTAS J., ANDERMAN G., eds, Audiovisual Translation: Language Transfer on Screen, London: Palgrave Macmillan, 2009, pp. 58-70

CAIMI, A., PEREGO E., Sottotitolazione: lo stato dell’arte, in «RILA – Rassegna Italiana di Linguistica Applicata», 34 (1-2), 2002, pp. 19–51

CANETTI E., Die gerettete Zunge [1977], Frankfurt am Main: Fischer, 1980

COLOMBO S., ed., «Come si dice Wagner in italiano?» Rassegna stampa del debutto dei sopratitoli in Europa, in Prescott Studio. 1996-2006: Catalogo delle produzioni. Dieci anni di sopratitoli in Italia e in Europa, pp. 29-36, Firenze-Scandicci, 2007

CONTI M., Leggere voci. Il muto racconto dei sopratitoli, voce fuori campo del teatro, in Prescott Studio. 1996-2006: Catalogo delle produzioni. Dieci anni di sopratitoli in Italia e in Europa, pp. 15-24, Firenze-Scandicci, 2007

CONTI M., Scripta volant. L’usage de titres: un cas d’écriture volatile, contribution to the seminary Sur-titrage, l’esprit et la lettre, Paris, Théâtre de l’Odéon, February 3 2014, ed. by Laurent Muhleisen, of Maison Antoine Vitez (Centre International de la Traduction Théâtrale), scientific coordination by Michel Bataillon; translation Michel Bataillon (edited by Silvia Paparella), published in the booklet given to participants; text available in English in https://www.prescott.it/en/selected-papers (Scripta volant. Titling for the Theatre, a Case of Volatile Writing, translation by Amanda Georges)

CONTI M., The Linguistic Mediation for the Theatre. Editorial Strategies in a Form of Audiovisual Translation (2014), in https://www.prescott.it/en/selected-papers, translation by Amanda Georges

CONTI, M., On the Shoulders of a Giant. From Sub-titles for the Cinema to Sur-titles for the Theater, contribution to the workshop Reading Foreign Voices, Montclaire State University, Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, NJ, USA, December 5 2014, translation by Helen Byrne and Aloma Bardi, in https://www.prescott.it/en/selected-papers

CONTI M., Accidental acrobatics. Surtitling strategies for theatre. An AVT case, in DE MEO M., DI MARTINO E., THORNBORROW J., eds., Creativity in translation/interpretation and interpreter/translator training, Ariccia: Aracne, 2016, pp. 175-178. International conference by T & R Forum, Neaples, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, 5-6 May 2016

CRAPAROTTA, A., Sottotitoli, scelte artistiche e opportunità professionali tra lingue e linguaggi: una giornata di studi alla Montclair University, in «La Voce di New York», 14 December 2014, in http://www.lavocedinewyork.com/Sottotitoli-scelte-artistiche-e-opportunita-professionali-tra-lingue-e-linguaggi-una-giornata-di-studi-alla-Montclair-University/d/9030/

D’ANGELI C., Forme della drammaturgia. Definizioni e esempi, Pisa: Seu, 2002

DE MEO M., DI MARTINO E., THORNBORROW J., eds., Creativity in translation/interpretation and interpreter/translator training, Ariccia: Aracne, 2016, pp. 175-178. International conference by T & R Forum, Neaples, Università degli Studi Suor Orsola Benincasa, May 5-6 2016

ECO U., Experiences in Translation, Toronto-Buffalo: University of Toronto Press, 2000; translated by Alastair McEwen; based on the «Emilio Goggio» Public Lectures presented Oct. 7, 9, 13, 1998, at the Faculty of Information Studies, University of Toronto

EUGENI C., Il Teatro d’opera e l’adattamento linguistico simultaneo, M.A. Thesis, Scuola Superiore di Lingue Moderne per Interpreti e Traduttori, University of Bologna, academic year 2002-2003

EUGENI C., Il sopratitolaggio. Definizione e differenze con il sottotitolaggio, 2006, in http://www.intralinea.it/volumes/ita_more.php?id=259_0_2_0_C

FINK G., Essere o non essere: la parola e i suoi codici, in BACCOLINI R., BOLLETTIERI BOSSINELLI R., M., GAVIOLI L., eds., Il doppiaggio. Trasposizioni linguistiche e culturali, Bologna: Clueb, 1994

FOURNIER-FACIO G., Io c’ero. La prima volta dei sopratitoli in Italia, in Prescott Studio. 1996-2006: Catalogo delle produzioni. Dieci anni di sopratitoli in Italia e in Europa, p. 37, Firenze-Scandicci, 2007

FREDDI M., LURAGHI S., Titling for the Opera House: a Test Case for Universals of Translations? in INCALCATERRA McLOUGHLIN L., BISCIO M. and NÍ MHAINNÍN, M. Á., eds., Audiovisual Translation. Subtitles and Subtitling: Theory and Practice, Bern-Berlin-New York: Peter Lang, 2010, pp. 55-85. See also the extensive Bibliography (in Appendix)

GAMBIER Y., Les transferts linguistiques dans les médias, Lilles: Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 1996

GOTTLIEB H., Subtitling. A new University Discipline, in DOLLERUP C. and LODDEGAARD A., Eds., Teaching Translation and Interpreting, 1. Training, Talent and Experience, Amsterdam-Philadelphia: John Benjamins, 1992

GRAVIER M., La traduction de textes dramatiques, in «Études de linguistique appliquée», octobre-décembre 1973

HATIM B., MUNDAY J., Translation. An advanced resource book, New Jork: Routledge, 2004

HAY J., Subtitling and surtitling, in GAMBIER Y., Les transferts linguistiques dans les médias, Lille: Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 1996

HEISS C., BOLLETTIERI BOSINELLI R. M., Traduzione multimediale per il cinema, la televisione e la scena, Bologna: Clueb, 1996

HUGHES P.J., The introduction of supertitles to opera, M. A. Thesis, Teachers College, Columbia University: New York 2003

KARAMITROGLOU  F., Towards a Methodology for the Investigation of Norms in Audiovisual Translation. The Choice Between Subtitling and Revoicing in Greece, Amsterdam-Atlanta: Editions Rodopi, 2000

MARSCHALL G.R., La traduction des livrets. Aspects théoriques, historiques et pragmatiques. Actes du colloque international tenu en Sorbonne les 30 novembre, 1er et 2 décembre 200, sous la direction de Gottfried R. Marschall, Paris: Presses de l’Université Paris-Sorbonne, 2004

LAMBERT J., La traduction des textes audiovisuels: modes et enjeux culturels, in GAMBIER Y., Les transferts linguistiques dans les médias, Lille: Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 1996

LOW, P., Surtitles for Opera: A Specialised Translating Task, in «Babel», 48 (2), 2002, pp. 97-110

LURAGHI, S., Canta che ti passa: il sopratitolo, «Classic Voice», 27, 2001, pp. 52-55

LURAGHI S., Sottotitoli per l’opera: strategie di semplificazione in un tipo speciale di traduzione, in «Studi italiani di linguistica teorica e applicata», 33 (1), Pisa: Pacini Editore, 2004

LUZI M., Sulla traduzione teatrale, in «Testo a fronte», n. 3, Milano: Guerini, 1990, pp. 97-99.

MOINDROT I., La représentation d’opéra: poétique et dramaturgie, Paris: Puf, 1993

PAPARELLA S., I sopratitoli: metodi di traduzione e adattamento del testo, B.A. Thesis, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, University of Pisa, advisor Mireille Gille, academic year 2003-2004

PARKER J., MATHEWS T., eds., Tradition, translation, trauma: The classic and the modern, Oxford-New York: Oxford University Press, 2011

PEREGO E., Evidence of explication in subtitling: toward a categorisation, in «Across language and cultures», 4 (1), pp. 63-88, 2003

PEREGO E., La traduzione audiovisiva, Roma: Carocci, 2005. See also the extensive Bibliography (in Appendix), pp. 121-126

E. PEREGO, C. TAYLOR, Tradurre l’audiovisivo, Roma: Carocci, 2012

M. PETILLO, La traduzione audiovisiva nel terzo millennio, Milano: Franco Angeli Edizioni, 2012

PIRANDELLO L., Illustratori, attori e traduttori [1907], in Saggi, Milano: Mondadori, 1939, p. 227-246.

RACAMIER M., Une vision d’ensemble du surtitrage d’opéra: vers la reconnaissance d’une nouvelle pratique de traduction?, Université de Toulouse II Le Mirail – Università di Genova, Master Professionnel en Traduction et Interprétation «Proscenio»: Traduction tecnique, multimédia et arts de la scène, headmaster Margherita Orsino, co-headmaster Micaela Rossi, academic year 2011-2012

ROCCATAGLIATI A., SALA E., Tradurre l’opera? Basta capirsi…, in «Il giornale della musica», No. 188, December 2002

SABLICH S., Wagner con le didascalie, Program notes, Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg, European début of surtitles, Florence, Teatro Comunale, 1 June 1986 (available also in https://www.prescott.it/en/selected-papers)

SABLICH S., Tradurre all’epoca dei sopratitoli, in «Il giornale della musica», No. 188, December 2002

SESTITO M., Costumi di scena del tradurre, in Prescott Studio. 1996-2006: Catalogo delle produzioni.Dieci anni di sopratitoli in Italia e in Europa, pp. 25-27, Firenze-Scandicci, 2007

SMITH S., The language of subtitling, in GAMBIER Y., Les transferts linguistiques dans les médias, Lille: Presses Universitaires du Septentrion, 1996

STAMPACCHIA E., Traduzione e sopratitolaggio. Il caso dell’opera lirica, M. A. Thesis, Facoltà di Lettere e Filosofia, University of Pavia, Silvia Luraghi advisor, academic year 2003-2004

TADDEI C., Reading Voices: The Art of Supertitles, in «New York Theatre Wire», June 2014, http://nytheatre-wire.com/ct14061t.htm

TADDEI C., Theater Festival NY Presents «Reading Voices: The Art of Supertitles», in «News Blazes», June 25, 2014, http://newsblaze.com/story/20140625120708jnyc.nb/topstory.html

TOMATIS A., L’oreille et la voix, Paris: Laffont, 1989

TOMATIS A., L’oreille et le langage, Paris: Éditions du Seuil, 1978

TOMATIS A., The conscious ear: My life of transformation through listening [L’oreille et la vie (1990)], translated by Billie M. Thompson and Stephen Lushington, Barrytown, N. Y.: Station Hill Press, 1991

TOMATIS A., The ear and the voice [L’oreille et la voix (1988)], translated by Roberta Prada and Pierre Sollier; freely adapted, with permission of the author, by Roberta Prada and Francis Keeping, Lanham, Md.: Scarecrow Press, 2005

VALLISAARI L., Subtitling and surtitling opera, in «New horizons. Proceedings of the World Congress», Melbourne: Ansit, 1996

VARIOUS AUTHORS, Prescott Studio, Directory of Productions 1996-2006 [Catalogo delle produzioni. Dieci anni di sopratitoli in Italia e in Europa], Firenze-Scandicci, 2007; writings by Aloma Bardi, Mauro Conti, Marisa Sestito, Susanna Colombo, Gastón Fournier-Facio

VARIOUS AUTHORS, Translating the sung word [La traduzione della parola cantata], Conference ed. by Sergio Sablich, Florence, Piccolo Teatro, 12-14 May 1987 (the Archive of the Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino holds a full audio recording of the event; all the conference papers are in Italian): 12, morning session: Giorgio Vidusso, chair; speakers: William Weaver (The language of opera: History, traditions, trends [La lingua dell’opera: storia, tradizioni, tendenze]), Markus Engelhardt («O wie so trügerisch?» German theatre and the issue of translation [Il teatro tedesco e il problema della traduzione]), Roman Vlad (The two «Salome» versions: A comparison [Le due «Salome» a confronto]) | 12, afternoon session: Leonardo Pinzauti, chair; speakers: Giorgio Gualerzi (The introduction in Italy of performances in the original language [L’introduzione in Italia delle esecuzioni in lingua originale]), Fedele d’Amico (Reasons for the rhythmical translation [Le ragioni della versione ritmica]), Rodolfo Celletti (The performance of the sung word [L’esecuzione della parola cantata]), Lorenzo Arruga (Translating opera: Better a fleeting gesture of interpretation than a condescending declaration of false equivalence [Tradurre l’opera: meglio un gesto effimero di interpretazione che una dichiarazione sussiegosa di finta equivalenza]) | 13, morning session: William Weaver, chair; speakers: Bruno Cagli (Notes on the translations of Rossini [Alcuni appunti sulle traduzioni rossiniane]), Giovanni Morelli (From «Traviata» to «Violette» [Da «Traviata» a «Violette»]), Marcello Conati (Verdi facing translation [Verdi di fronte alla traduzione]), Franco Serpa (The translations of «Tristan» [Le traduzioni del «Tristano»]) | 13, afternoon session: Fedele d’Amico, chair; speakers: Andrew Porter (A translator’s adventures [Avventure di un traduttore]), Jan Meyerowitz (A listener’s memories and experiences [Ricordi ed esperienze di un ascoltatore]), Flavio Testi (Translation in a composer’s experience [La traduzione nell’esperienza di un compositore]) | 14, morning session: Panel discussion «Sung word and written word: The surtitles [Parola cantata e parola scritta: i sopratitoli]»; Sergio Sablich, moderator; Piero Buscaroli, Duilio Courir, Leonardo Pinzauti, Giorgio Vidusso, panelists

VEISSIÈRE É., Mémoire de stage. Étude sur le surtitrage d’opéra, Université de Toulouse II Jean Jaurès e Università degli Studi di Genova, Master Professionnel en Traduction et Interprétation «Proscenio»: Traduction tecnique, multimédia et arts de la scène, headmasters Antonella Capra and Anna Giaufret, academic year 2015-2016

Surtitling / Surtitles

«Surtitling» or «surtitles» (see also «theatre captioning»; «supertitles» or «supertitling» more obsolete; «subtitles» or «subtitling» inappropriate) refer to the transcription or adaptation in one or (more rarely) two languages other than the original, of a text sung or recited live during a theatrical performance and projected or electronically transmitted on one or more screens (wireless or wired ) the main of which is usually located above the proscenium. In musical theatre, in order to make a text understandable to a larger audience, the surtitling service sometimes repeats the same text of the performance. # The objective of surtitles is to promote understanding of the sung or spoken text for all audiences. In particular, it is useful for hearing-impaired users, or for those who are unable to understand the original language of the performance. # The term sur-titles derives from the sub-titles used in cinema or in a broader audiovisual context (employed since 1917, at the dawn of cinema) and indicates (in the live performance) the different spatial location of the language mediation service than in cinema or in video electronic media. # Surtitles were born in January 1983 in a production of Richard Strauss’s Elektra of the Canadian Opera Company in Toronto. In September 1983 they were introduced in the United States, in a production of Cendrillon by Jules Massenet at New York State Theatre. # In Europe, the first surtitles were created by Sergio Sablich in June 1986 at the Florence Opera Theatre, for a production of Die Meistersinger von Nürnberg by Richard Wagner conducted by Zubin Mehta, as part of the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino.

Titling / Captioning

«Titling» or «captioning», in the performing arts (opera, drama, audiovisual productions), defines the work of linguistic mediation encompassing subtitling and surtitling. # Subtitling developed starting from 1917, during the silent film era, whereas surtitling has been used in the live performing arts since 1983 (at the dawning of digital systems). # With the appearance of new information systems, which opened the door to multilingual titling (DVD was launched on the market in 1986) terminological debate started, too. # In the audiovisual system, even when more than one language was used, subtitles maintained their position unchanged for many years. The newest software technologies for mobile devices, which came out as an alternative to subtitling in cinemas, or the possibilities opened up by head-mounted displays, such as subtitle glasses, have made a revision of the technical terminology necessary also in the field of those performing arts that are reproducible on electronic devices. # Even more so, in the live performing arts, the presence of multilingual options on custom individual devices (installed the first time in 1998 at the Santa Fe Opera by Figaro System) or on mobile consumer devices (experimented in 2011 at Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino by OperVoice) or on hybrid solutions (realized in 2012 at the Royal Opera House Muscat by Radio Marconi), makes the spatial connotation of the term «sur-titles» inappropriate. # In both cases (performing arts that are reproducible on electronic devices and live performing arts), for a scientific approach the term «titling», broader and all-embracing, is preferable to define the work of linguistic mediation, without specifying whether the visualization is to be above (sur-titles) or below (sub-titles).

Multilingual titling

«Multilingual titling» defines, in the field of titling for the performing arts (musical theatre, drama, audiovisual productions), the chance for the audience to follow more than one linguistic option. # In the audiovisual field, multilingual titling was made possible by the introduction of DVD (Warner Home Video, 1996) in which an integrated data-base gives access to several language channels dedicated to titling. # In the live performing arts, multilingual options (with possibility of individual choice) were introduced in 1998 at Santa Fe Opera (by Figaro System) through custom individual displays set mainly on the back of the seats, as in airplanes. # The introduction, at the end of the 1900s, of Web 2.0 and of the new mobile device technologies caused deep changes also in this field. In Europe, in 2011, a significant innovation was provided by the Maggio Musicale Fiorentino Theatre in Florence, which started the testing of a new multilingual transmission system for mobile consumer devices (by OperaVoice in partnership with Prescott Studio), that can be integrated to monolingual surtitles. # In the same year, another multilingual software for mobile consumer devices was developed, as an alternative to the use of subtitles in cinemas and, the following year (2012), a new head-mounted display system (multimedia glasses) was introduced, serving the same function (both enterprises by MovieReading). # In 2011-2012, the Royal Opera House Muscat carried out the most advanced multilingual custom display system to date, interactive and integrated to surtitles screened on a central LED panel (by Radio Marconi, with the text editing support of Prescott Studio). The simultaneous presentation of two languages was quite unusual within the more traditional surtitling system, which is used in most cases with monolingual function, but this formula (promoted in Italy by Prescott Studio) is recently increasing.

Multimedia translation / Audiovisual translation

«Multimedia translation», or «audiovisual translation», is a specialized branch of translation which implies the presence of any kind of multimedia (or audiovisual) electronic system in the translation or in the transmission process. # This kind of translation is strongly influenced, both in the form and in the substance of its creative process, by the type of device employed. Specific limits are imposed by digital graphics, and by timing and mode of use. # Multimedia translation concerns various fields, such as cinema, television, theatre, advertisement, audiovisual and mobile device communication. # The following specializations of multimedia translation can be identified: dubbing, subtitling, surtitling, cinema and TV adaptation, respeaking, audio description, mobile translation, translation for video games. # Since the late 1990s, multimedia translation has achieved a role in education. B. A and M. A. classes on this subject have been established at several universities across Europe and the United States (Boston, Dallas, Forlì, Genoa, Leeds, London, Pisa, Pittsburgh, Torino, Udine, Vigo). Prescott Studio has given a significant contribution to this educational activities.

Productions in collaboration with academic institutions

Workshop
SURTITLING – THE SPIRIT AND THE LETTER / L’ESPRIT ET LA LETTRE
February 2014

Paris, Théâtre de l’Odéon, February 3rd, 2014
A workshop coordinated by Laurent Muhleisen and Michel Bataillon
Maison Antoine Vitez, Centre International de la Traduction Théâtrale, Paris
With the participation of Mauro Conti, Prescott Studio, Florence

«Within European culture» – writes Laurent Muhleisen in his introduction to this French initiative – «translation holds a central role; without such a mediation, disseminating works of literature would not be possible. In the theatre productions circulating across our continent, the art of translation stands out in the surtitles practice. Without this support, the reception of a performance in a foreign language is hopelessly incomplete».

«How are surtitles conceived and designed? What ‹actors› are at work on them? What skills, what steps and strategies does their achievement imply? What artistic, technical and logistical resources should be set into motion, so that everyone in the European audience be enabled to fully experience at their best the spirit and the letter of a text while attending a performance in a foreign language? To these questions the workshop [of February 3, 2014] attempts to provide an answer».

> Mauro Conti – Scripta Volant (2014)

With the support of the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies in the Department of Spanish and Italian (MSU)
In collaboration with Center for Career Services and Cooperative Education (MSU)
With the participation of KIT-Kairos Italy Theatre, New York, NY, USA
and of ICAMus, International Center for American Music, Ann Arbor, MI, USA – Florence

«Translating Voices Across Continents» (TVAC) is both an educational project and a professional workshop that will result in the creation of English surtitles for Italian and international theater productions. On the one hand, the project gives American university students the opportunity to familiarize themselves with specific aspects of this multimedia translation sector, engaging them in the creative process of this work. On the other hand, it is a valuable service that will increase language access to the Piccolo Teatro di Milano’s productions for a wider audience. These productions are part of the Piccolo Teatro’s ad hoc calendar for an international audience on the occasion of Expo 2015 (Milan, May-October).

Stemming from a proposal by the Piccolo Teatro di Milano, the project is developed by Prescott Studio, a reference point in Europe for theatrical titling, and by Montclair State University (NJ, USA), that, by means of the Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, fosters and supports interdisciplinary approaches, a cosmopolitan academic vision, and a focus on the highest expressions of Italian culture. Prescott Studio, as supervisor, will offer the professional expertise, sensibility, and organizational experience needed, while the Inserra Chair and the professors in the Italian BA program at MSU, through their own interns, will oversee the adaptations of the surtitles into English.

Group of experts involved
Mauro Conti, Director of Prescott Studio, Florence
Teresa Fiore, Inserra Chair in Italian and Italian American Studies, MSU, NJ, USA
Marisa Trubiano, Associate Professor, MSU, NJ, USA
Laura Caparrotti, Artistic Director of KIT-Kairos Italy Theatre, New York, NY, USA
Aloma Bardi, Prescott Studio Tutor and Director of ICAMus, Ann Arbor, MI, USA – Florence

> TVAC – Inserra Chair / Montclair State University – 01

L’arte del compromesso creativo

I sopratitoli – Modelli teorici e proposte di realizzazione. Un progetto di tirocinio speciale per produzioni teatrali
A cura di Mauro Conti e Prescott Studio

1.
La sopratitolazione teatrale è un settore di nicchia nell’ambito della traduzione multimediale, ma assai coinvolgente dal punto di vista creativo, scientificamente impegnativo e che costituisce soprattutto un terreno formativo ineguagliabile per chi abbia in mente sbocchi professionali altamente qualificati nello sterminato, mutevole e produttivo settore dei sottotitoli per realizzazioni audiovisive.
Ciò che si apprende curando sopratitoli per il teatro consente dunque di affrontare i sottotitoli per il cinema con un grado di professionalità non comune. Le molteplici competenze richieste, l’esigenza di operare in un gruppo e di confrontarsi con specifici parametri tecnici consentono inoltre di approfondire aspetti inediti di quella vocazione al compromesso creativo che da sempre anima la mediazione linguistica.

2.
Il tirocinio prevede il confronto con una realtà professionale indiscussa e internazionalmente visibile come quella della programmazione del Piccolo Teatro di Milano durante il periodo di Expo Milano 2015 (maggio-ottobre 2015) – un binomio di grande peso: la più importante istituzione teatrale italiana e la più importante vetrina cosmopolita allestita quest’anno in Italia nella stessa città del Piccolo Teatro.
Affrontare questa cornice produttiva con un progetto formativo è senza dubbio un impegno temerario che non richiede solo competenze linguistiche, ma anche organizzazione, pazienza, prontezza di riflessi, passione. Un simile carico di responsabilità rappresenta però al tempo stesso un detonatore straordinario di energie creative e professionali – sia per gli studenti sia per i tutor coinvolti.

3.
Concretamente, per i tirocinanti, si tratta di realizzare (con la guida di Prescott Studio e la garanzia scientifica dei tutor di MSU) i sopratitoli in lingua inglese di una serie di produzioni teatrali italiane e di una produzione in greco moderno (Odyssey di Simon Armitage, da Omero): un’occasione per toccare con mano un complesso percorso in cui arte, artigianato e tecnologia si contaminano a vicenda.
Parallelamente alla definizione editoriale e funzionale dei vari adattamenti linguistici, i tirocinanti prendono coscienza del contesto estetico e operativo più generale che ha reso indispensabile l’impiego di una forma specifica di mediazione linguistica per lo spettacolo dal vivo – che oggigiorno, nonostante la concorrenza del cinema, si conferma luogo di incontro per eccellenza. Incontro di lingue, culture, esperienze.

Productions involved in the project