VERDI WITHOUT ITALIAN
HE BBC recording of excerpts from "The Force of Destiny,’. by Verdi, revived the old question of "opera in English’"-a question over which there will never be any agreement. This recording, sung in English, struck a yaliant blow in favour of the original Italian. | do not know who was responsible for the translation, but it was no better than those paragons of poor verse perpetrated by Mrs. Macfarren last century. As a parody of romantic opera it was highly emusing, but Verdi must have spun in his graye. : The performance did not compensate for the deficiencies of the translation. Appleton Moore, as the Marquis of Calatrava, was unable to produce a single firm note, and Frank Titterton, who was in his heyday about twenty years ago, made a very decayed hero. The best singer was Joan Hammond, but her efforts to make her words clear seriously marred the smoothness of her vocal line. This recording is no credit to the BBC, but | commend it to all listeners as an object lesson how not to translate; and how not to sing, Italian opera. —
Falstaff
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https://paperspast.natlib.govt.nz/periodicals/NZLIST19531211.2.19.1
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 752, 11 December 1953, Page 10
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223VERDI WITHOUT ITALIAN New Zealand Listener, Volume 29, Issue 752, 11 December 1953, Page 10
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Copyright in the work University Entrance by Janet Frame (credited as J.F., 22 March 1946, page 18), is owned by the Janet Frame Literary Trust. The National Library has been granted permission to digitise this article and make it available online as part of this digitised version of the New Zealand Listener. You can search, browse, and print this article for research and personal study only. Permission must be obtained from the Janet Frame Literary Trust for any other use.
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