Surtitles

Surtitles are captions displayed to the audience during performances of sung or spoken theatre, most commonly in opera and musical theatre, to translate the original text into a target language or to provide simultaneous interpretation. The term, derived from the English word "title" with the prefix "sur-" meaning "above," indicates that the text appears above the stage or in a dedicated display on stage level.

Surtitles began to be adopted more widely in the early to mid-20th century as opera houses sought to attract international audiences. Early surtitling often used text projected on a screen or painted signs; modern venues use digital screens or projection that synchronize with the performance. In many venues, surtitles can be presented in one or multiple languages and may appear as line-by-line translations or as a stream of translated phrases aligned with the libretto.

Most surtitles translate the sung text from the original language into the audience's preferred language, though in some cases they also present bilingual or surtitles in multiple languages. Some performances provide surtitles for spoken dialogue; others limit captions to arias and ensembles.

Accessibility and audience experience are central considerations. Surtitles can improve comprehension for non-native speakers and for audiences with hearing impairments, when designed with clear typography and high contrast. They may also be cited as potential distractions if poorly timed or visually obtrusive.

Surtitles are part of broader captioning practices in performing arts, reflecting ongoing efforts to make theatre and opera more accessible to diverse audiences.