The article "Accessible Opera: Overcoming Linguistic and Sensorial Barriers" by Pilar Orero and Anna

Matamala explores the challenges and solutions related to making opera accessible to audiences with
linguistic and sensorial barriers.

This article discusses the importance of making opera accessible to a wider audience, especially those with
linguistic and sensorial barriers.

The introduction provides an overview of the importance of accessibility in opera, not only from a legal
standpoint but also as a cultural responsibility. The authors explain that people with linguistic and sensorial
barriers face challenges in accessing opera, and their exclusion from cultural events is a significant loss to
society.

The three possibilities in opera performance are performing the opera in its original language and providing
a synopsis or translated libretto, performing in the original language with surtitles, or performing a sung
translation of the work.

The article then moves on to explore different methods of making opera accessible, focusing on linguistic
and sensorial accessibility. Regarding linguistic accessibility, the authors discuss the challenges of
translating operatic texts, which often contain complex language and cultural references. They describe the
use of surtitles and discuss different strategies for adapting the text to make it more suitable for surtitling.

The article also points out some similarities between subtitles and surtitling. For example:

 They both produce a legible version of verbal material

 The TL version must be easy to read
 Ambiguity must be avoided, etc.

In this article we can also find challenges which may occur in singable translations and in surtitiling.

For example in singable translations:

 Fitting the target text to the demands of the target language and the music Rhythm.
 Rhyme
 Repetitions
 Naturalness
 Conveying the plot: fidelity and equivalences.
 Taking into account the audience, etc.

In surtitiling:

 Comprehensibility of surtitles
 Synchronisation
 Concision and clarity
 Adaptation to the staging
 Dealing with repetitions
 Faithfulness
 Need to adapt to a live performance, remaining unobtrusive, etc.

The article then moves on to sensorial accessibility, focusing on audio description and sign language
interpretation. The authors explain the challenges of delivering audio description, such as timing and
content, and describe different methods of delivery. They also discuss the challenges of sign language
interpretation and provide examples of successful initiatives.

The authors emphasize that accessibility initiatives need to be tailored to the specific needs of the
audience. They argue that collaboration between different stakeholders, including opera companies,
accessibility experts, and audiences, is crucial for success. The article concludes by summarizing the
importance of accessibility in opera and highlighting the role of opera companies in promoting social
inclusion.

Overall, the article provides an insightful and informative overview of the challenges and solutions related
to making opera accessible to audiences with linguistic and sensorial barriers. The authors provide
examples of successful accessibility initiatives, highlighting the importance of collaboration and tailoring
initiatives to the specific needs of the audience. The article emphasizes the role of opera companies in
promoting social inclusion and the importance of accessibility as a cultural responsibility.