Oh absolutely @graham55, but it isn’t quite the same. Understanding the lyrics is not the same as reading approximately what is being sung.
Watching anything requiring subtitles genuinely changes the experience. At least it does for me🤷🏻♂️
That’s not the case for me. Knowing what is actually being sung, really helps enjoyment through understanding more, especially the nuances. I have never found surtitles over the stage to be in any way detracting from the performance- there are normally far fewer sentences than in plain spoken dialogue because many things are repeated or drawn out, so you’re not constantly having to read it just periodic glances. And I found that far better than watching an opera that had been translated from Italian into English, when my focus was spent on trying to make out what they were singing, the way it is sung in opera often being far from clear diction. That does not stop me enjoying opera without surtitles, but I prefer with. (Incidentally, though I’ve never been to one I know some opera houses have screens in the back of the seat in front - subtitles not surtitles - selectable for different languages to suit an international audience.
Ii’m so set in my ways that I couldn’t guess when I last heard a new opera - that is, one that I’ve never heard before. I suppose that I have seen most of what I would like to have seen, over the years, at Covent Garden, Glyndebourne (in situ and their touring company).
If someone wanted to treat me to a box or decent seats at Bayreuth or the Vienna State Opera, I would be a grateful recipient - just mind there, as I duck for that squadron of flying pigs coming out of the sun!
Yeah, many of the big ones are doing that now. We were in both La Scala & Vienna Opera houses this year and they have seat back screens…
This is Vienna
I don’t suppose that it gets an awful lot better than seeing ‘The Magic Flute’ in Vienna. That would be a bucket list item for me! Have you dared compare the experience listening back home yet?
Yes, was spectacular.
I very much enjoyed the performances.
I have seen it in Vienna & Covent Garden and I own the Blu-Ray of the Covent Garden production.
I also really like the Academy & Choir of St Martin In the Fields conducted by Sir Neville Marriner, which I have on both Record & CD.
They were/are all fabulous and most enjoyable and I couldn’t choose between them. 
I’d say it varies depending upon the musical genre and the mix of the album. As a huge fan of Black Metal, listening to the admittedly often complex lyrics is nigh on impossible but switch to someone like Fish (Marillion & solo) or Peter Hamill (VdGG) and I find myself following lyrics and often scratching my head wondering what the hell they’re on about.
1 Like
My favorite example of that comes from another genre - musical theater. “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” sound like the most upbeat song in the world - to the extent that out of context many people find it annoying, hence the gag in Airplane. But in context - i.e. in the show, Gypsy, it is a woman having a nervous breakdown. The title song from Cabaret is another example.
By the way, anyone who ignores Stephen Sondheim’s lyrics is missing the work of the Dylan of his genre.
2 Likes
This topic was automatically closed 60 days after the last reply. New replies are no longer allowed.