“[It is] an unalterable and unquestioned law of the musical world… that the German text of French operas sung by Swedish artists should be translated into Italian for the clearer understanding of English-speaking audiences.” (Edith Wharton, The Age of Innocence)
Since 2011, the Italian Program and the Inserra Chair have worked in synergy to place emphasis on the pivotal role of translation – and audiovisual translation and accessibility in particular – in the study of Italian language and culture. The activities they have focused on have ranged from curriculum development to talks and symposia, international agreements with universities, collaborations with private agencies, festivals, and individual artists, as well as internships both locally and abroad. Many of the pre-professional opportunities offering unique real-world experience to our students are supported by external grants and endowment funds. The list below includes details about these activities as illustrated by videos, articles, catalogs, etc.
Audiovisual translation is growing at an incredible pace and we are preparing our students in very concrete ways to enter this exciting field. In the New York metropolitan area, the field of translation as a whole – and the Italian-English pairing in particular – is vibrant and growing as Italian continues to play a pivotal role in the creative and cultural industries and in business in general.
Curriculum
Throughout their BA experience, students of Italian are learning the theories, methods and techniques (and the pleasure!) of translation. Special emphasis is placed on the competence needed to make Italian performances and audiovisual materials (films, videos) accessible to English-speaking audiences. Students hone their linguistic and cultural competencies, use appropriate software, and polish their skills in time management, teamwork and communication as they engage directly with experts in the field.
Courses in Translation in the Italian Program include (see for more details):
– New Courses:
-ITAL 351 Translation for Tourism and Cultural Promotion
-ITAL 450 Audiovisual Translation
-ITAL 460 Capstone Course in Audiovisual Translation
The creation of ITAL 460 was funded by a grant of the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and in close collaboration with the Inserra Chair)
– Adapted courses (incorporation of translation projects and general approach to translingualism):
-ITAL 277 Topics in Italian Cinema and Introduction to Subtitling
-ITAL 321 Introduction to Italian Business and Commercial Translation
-ITAL 340 Reading, Writing, Translating Early Modern Italy
-ITAL 341 Reading, Writing, Translating Modern and Contemporary Italy
– Pre-existing course:
-ITAL 350 Introduction to Translating
Internships
Summer Internship in Macerata
- (see and 2018 report)
Summer Internship in Florence (2016)
- Back from a Summer Internship in Florence: Surtitling for Italian Opera Festivals
- Getting Real: Partnerships let students explore their passions during innovative summer internships (鶹ý Magazine): /magazine-archive/fall-2016/gettingreal/
InScena Internship (Spring 2016)
- 2016 Surtitling Internship for Student of Italian at the InScena Italian Theater Festival
Grants for Projects and Curriculum Development
- Teresa Fiore and Marisa Trubiano receive an Italian government grant for curriculum development in the field of Translation (Fall 2017)
- Sur-Titling project receives a mini-grant from the Italian Government (Summer 2016) (see )
International agreements
An international agreement with the Translation Program at the University of Macerata has been signed in 2017 to foster international student internships (see internships above) as well as parallel teaching activities involving student and faculty mobility.
Special Projects and Partnerships
A long-term partner is one of the top surtitling agencies in Europe, Prescott Studio, based in Florence, which opened up collaborations with top venues in Italy such as Il Piccolo Teatro di Milano, l’Opera di Firenze, Maggio Musicale Fiorentino and Il Teatro dell’Opera di Roma, the Teatro Bellini (Catania), Teatro della Pergola (Firenze), l’Arena di Verona, among others.
Translating Voices Across Continents 2016-2017
- 鶹ý Expands Titling Collaboration with Prescott Studio (Spring 2016)
Translating Voices Across Continents 2015-2016
- (Winter 2015)
- Students of Italian Surtitle Prominent Plays for Expo 2015 Theater Productions in Milan, Italy (Fall 2015)
- (Expo 2015)
- Translating Voices Across Continents: Surtitles for Theater (VIDEO):
- Surtitles: The Complex Art of Simplicity (Prescott Studio video):
- 鶹ý Student Subtitles Acclaimed Documentary, The Rule
- (Prescott Studio’s website)
Lectures/Symposia/Professional Development:
- (Oct. 2018)
- (December 2014)
- Reading Foreign Voices: Film, Theatre, and Opera Sub- and Sur- Titling Across Languages (video):
In-Class Talks:
- (2015)
- (2016)
Student projects
- The Bridge Ceremony at CIMA: 鶹ý Students of Italian (Russoniello and Guevara-Perez) Translate for US-Italy Book Prize (Nov. 2018).
- La battaglia di Legnano by Verdi, Spring 2018, editing of surtitles in English, with Prescott Studio for Teatro del Maggio Musicale Fiorentino, Florence (ITAL 460 f2f section)
- “Our Friend in Rome” film doc subtitling project on photographer Paolo di Paolo, for Jerry Rudes of , (Fall ’17 w/ITAL 242 and Spring ’18, w/ ITAL 460 f2f and online sections)
- Italian Theater Festival, , Spring 2018, 4 plays, surtitles in English, ITAL 460, both sections
- Students of Italian Subtitle for RAI Cultura Network as part of a class project
- – under the supervision of (Italian Program, 鶹ý) and e (University of Macerata, Italy)
- Subtitling of L’orda/The Horde, a lecture show by Gian Antonio Stella and the Compagnia della Acque, presented at 鶹ý in 2011.
- Subtitling of the documentary film The Rule (2015), presented on campus with the co-directors, the Bongiornos.
Translation of articles for online newspapers and magazines
Our students have provided articles, videos and translations for the most-read USA-based Italian online newspaper, La Voce di New York, gaining invaluable experience that will ultimately enrich their resumes.
- Made in Italy and Sustainability (on La Voce di New York, translated by Marta Russoniello)
- University Calls on Businesses, in the Name of the Italian Language (on La Voce di New York, translated by Marta Russoniello)
- (on La Voce di New York, written and translated by Vittoria Fronte)
- (on La Voce di New York, written and translated by Talia Antonacci)
- (on La Voce di New York, written and translated by Joe Glinbizzi and Marta Russoniello)
- (on La Voce di New York, translated by Emilia D’Albero)
- Business Italian Style Project (on La Voce di New York, 2014), under the supervision of Enza Antenos (Assistant Professor of Italian) and Maurita Cardone (Deputy Editor at La Voce di New York):
- (written and translated by Angela Emiliani, Gabriella Grudza, Angela Kovacs, Serena Pederiali, Dariell Vasquez)
- (written and translated by Alexa Arcaini, Sara Busch, Christina Petrillo, Sandra Scavuzzo)
- (written and translated by Angelene Agresta, Domenico Lisa, I. Settembrini, Stephanie White)
- (written and translated by Emilia D’Albero, Annamaria Grammatica, Angela Percontino, Thomas Prudente, Alexia Stabile)
Student Publications
Student Marta Russoniello translates in English the note to the 1996 edition of The Age of Malaise (L’età del malessere) by Dacia Maraini as her project for the course. Her translation has been included and published in