When Opera Surtitling began in the 1990’s, it was with a translation of the libretto displayed above the stage, sometimes this was projected, more commonly it was shown on an LED display.
Advances in display technology and software applications mean that today more options are available to support, supplement and even replace a Central Surtitle Display.
LED Modular Panels – Use one Main Display or two or more Smaller Displays
Digital 4 have a range of LED Modular Panels for purchase or hire that can be used to change the size of Surtitle Displays in your venue to suit your production.
Our RGB LED Modular Panels are typically 500mm x 500mm, 128 x 128 resolution with a 3,9mm pitch – other resolutions and pitches are available. They can be connected together to make any size Surtitle Display that you require.
For example, after consulting with the designers at The Barbican Theatre we installed a 4m x 0.5m display for the first week of performances and then changed the configuration to three 3m x o.5m screens for the next show in week two.
Our Sopratext Venue Software is easily re-configured for each new display resolution and the text will auto-adjust to the optimum font size.
It is also possible to simultaneously output to displays of different resolutions if that is the best screen configuration for a show.
Wide Aspect Ratio LCD Displays
The design of many Opera Houses means that a Central Surtitle Display may not be visible from all seats in the auditorium. Adding Wide-Aspect Ratio LCD Displays in areas with an obscured view allows the whole of the audience to enjoy Opera Surtitles.
Wide Aspect Ratio LCD Displays work well for Opera Surtitling because they reflect the aspect ratio of how Opera Surtitles are formatted – basically a “letter-box” shape – so that all of the available display area on the panel is used to display the libretto. Two or three line Surtitles on a traditional 16:9 display will often only use 30% of the display area.
Garsington Opera use four small LCD’s in the wheelchair areas either side of the main stage area to ensure they have an unrestricted view of the Surtiles, and at Grange Festival Opera we have installed two wide-aspect ratio LCD Displays for audience members towards the back of the stalls whose view of the main display is obscured.
Sopratext “Mini” Application
The Sopratext Mini App runs on a small device that is fixed onto the back of LCD Panels or LED Displays and allows signs of different sizes and resolutions to be connected together. Large LED display displays, wide-aspect ratio LCD displays and even small TFT displays sit comfortably on the same LAN and display Surtitles.
Closed Surtitle Devices – Smart Caption Glasses and Tablets
Digital 4 has been at the forefront of the development of outputting text to personal display devices such as Smart Caption Glasses and Tablets for Theatre Access and this proven technology is also now available for Opera Surtitling.
Tablets are an ideal method of supplementing the main display without having to install cabling.
Smart Caption Glasses can also be used to supplement the main display or as the main mechanism to deliver Opera Surtitles.
One of the most exciting possibilities this new Technology offers is the facility to output Opera Surtiltes in multiple languages so that Smart Caption Glasses can be used visitors to view the Surtitles in a language of their choice, including logographic languages such as Chinese and Japanese.
Sopratext Venue Surtitle Software
Our bespoke software for Opera Surtitling has been designed in consultation with Surtitlers from the Edinburgh International Festival , Southbank Centre, Garsington, Grange Park and the Royal Opera House.
Development continues via an on-going dialogue with our new and existing customers with any new updates instantly prompted in the software for free updates.
Contact us if you’d like to discuss the optimum Surtitle System for your venue or if you have any questions
