A “Fresh Take” in Translation!
Turning a 19th-Century Comic Opera Classic into a Spanish-language Rock Video
Join us at the AATIA general meeting, Saturday November 12, 2022, at 1:00 PM
Argentinian director & performer SEBASTIÁN VITALE and AATIA member MICHAEL MEIGS explain how in 2021 Gilbert & Sullivan Austin converted the opening numbers of the beloved English comic opera HMS Pinafore into a Spanish-language music video.
They transformed W.S. Gilbert’s comic lyrics for “We sail the ocean blue,” “I’m called Little Buttercup,” and “I am the captain of the Pinafore,” enlisted composer Pablo Pupillo of Buenos Aires for a reorchestration, recruited Austin performers, recorded the numbers, and produced a lively, witty, and funny eight-minute video that debuted in August of last year. You can still enjoy it online at https://tinyurl.com/htx668wt.
The good ship “HMS Pinafore” becomes el buque Parasol, “Little Buttercup” becomes La Mariposa, and gallant Captain Corcoran becomes don José Galvan.
Sebastián and Michael explain the many aspects of translation involved. Lyrics written in London in 1878 and enshrined in musical theatre history were converted step-by-step into contemporary Spanish, the music underwent a sea change, and a new comic interpretation celebrated the familiar characters. Operetta staging translated into video format produced joyful reinterpretations with plenty of sight gags and unexpected twists.
For this special event AATIA will meet on Saturday, November 12, at 1 p.m. at our usual venue, the Aiden Best Western located at 2200 South IH-35, Austin, 78704 (on the west-side frontage road, south of downtown Austin). There will be plenty of time for Q&A, and AATIA will provide Latin-American snacks and refreshments.
Comments are closed.