Simplification in subtitling filmic Beijing Opera

Abstract

In recent years, opera translation and surtitling has become a field of growing popularity in translation studies. While current research often revolves around opera in the western countries or opera translation for the stage, this paper aims to explore the translation of Beijing Opera in films. The discussion will draw upon literature on opera translation and surtitles while examining Beijing Opera. With reference to Raise the Red Lantern (1991), directed by Zhang Yimou, an internationally acclaimed filmmaker, this paper will focus on the rendition of Beijing Opera and propose subtitles for an opera sequence in the film. The major finding is that it is possible to convey the general meaning of the lyrics of Beijing Opera through simplification, i.e. culturally-bound references could be simplified for better understanding. This is an addition to the existing research on translation from other languages into English and will have implications for future practices in this domain.