Gibe Me Libretto
Posted in General on December 8th, 2010 by Eugene Finerman – 6 CommentsThe Lyric Opera of Chicago wishes to make the following announcement: Its current production of “The Mikado” is in English.
The advertisements stress that reassuring fact. I know that the aesthetes among you would prefer “The Mikado” in Italian or Klingon, but we must maintain the standards of American culture. Anything sung in this country should be in English. And that is more than just a courtesy to the audience. It is a matter of national security.
How else can we be sure that “Three Little Maids from School” don’t go to a Madrasah? And who is to say that “The List” doesn’t divulge escape routes from Guantanamo? That would be remiss; that would be remiss. If nothing else, a good American translation would explain that a titwillow is only a G-rated bird.
And while the Lyric Opera is being so diligently patriotic, it really should change that suspiciously foreign word “mezzanine”. Just call it a porch.
p.s. It is the same old story, so why not the same old satirical response: https://finermanworks.com/your_rda_of_irony/2010/02/04/the-straight-and-narrow-3/