Multilingual Translation of the Children’s Opera “Imola”

Abstract

The focus of this research paper is on the process of multilingual translation of the libretto of the Children's Opera Imola, by Ferenc Kovac. The story of the opera was designed to nurture the cultural heritage of the town of Subotica (Vojvodina, Serbia, Europe) and the 150th anniversary of the existence of windmills in Mali Bajmok, and the last standing out of the eleven buildings (built around 1862), that provided the finest white flour to people in this part of Europe. The cultural heritage story is presented symbolically through a family with eleven children, the youngest of whom is a girl called Imola, curious and always ready for adventures through which she will learn about history, people (e.g. Ivan Sarić, athlete and pioneer of aviation in Eastern Europe) and beautiful buildings in Subotica. Through a theoretical review analysis, the various forms of translation associated with music-linked translation (MLT), specifically, opera and the main challenges they entail are discussed. A descriptive and contextual approach was applied in the research to present the process of translating from Serbian to English, as a lingua franca, and Italian language as 'the opera's language of origin', 'main operatic language' and 'an international language of music', opening to international youth audiences and future performances. The translations of this children's opera can offer a unique opportunity for creative and interactive learning, as well as possibilities for digital media application and creative works of students in performing and researching music and language intersections through arts. Additionally, from the standpoint of music pedagogy and musicology, the contribution of this research study can be seen in supporting the children's opera and opera in general, as a global art form, promoting multilingualism and multicultural values.