Babel in opera: translation strategies for Montsalvatge's multilingual Babel 46

Abstract

The presence of heteroglossia in opera librettos raises interesting issues both for the study of the genre and for the theory and practice of (its) translation. This paper will carry out a textual analysis of the translation strategies taken for the subtitling of Babel 46, an excellent example of multilingual operas, by Catalan composer Xavier Montsalvatge. After examining the role of heteroglossia in this libretto, an analysis of how subtitlers have tackled it will be presented, which will serve to illustrate the difficulties created by the coexistence of various languages in opera texts, the factors affecting translation decisions and the constraints and possibilities offered by this audiovisual translation mode. Apart from the challenge they pose for translators, multilingual operas also encourage reflection on the relationship between the verbal text and the receptor, on the actual need to translate the instances of heteroglossia, and on what strategies best convey the effect the composer tried to achieve with it.