Translation: Nodame Cantabile Encore, Opera AKT 2

I really enjoyed reading this chapter, so I thought I’d give translating it a go…and like Ninomiya-sensei, I decided to do a bit of research to find out what happens when you try to stage an opera… now, I’m not sure if that was such a good idea, since I’ve spent around 2 hours just researching operatic terms and the references that Ninomiya-sensei made! I’m also sure I’ve screwed up somewhere…but hey, that’s what the edit button is for!

Most non-spoken words are in italics.
Banners/signs are in [squared brackets], and notes in (rounded ones).

I’ve done this for fun, and to improve my own Japanese skills, so…
Please DO NOT post this elsewhere (links are ok), and DO NOT USE IT FOR SCANLATIONS.

cover

Nodame: Hang on, you over there…you’re standing out more than I am…

-2-

[Mozart’s The Magic Flute, prelude]

-3-

[The concertmaster for this performance: Takahashi Noriyuki]
(Kiyora <=lost at janken)

Chiaki: Both Kiyora and Takahashi came even though they’re busy with their solo careers.

Even Masumi, who belongs to the New Philharmonic Orchestra, is still contributing to the R*S Orchestra

-4-

[Kuroki Yasunori (26)]
Chiaki: (whilst active as) a member of the Marlet Orchestra, he achieved a spendid result in a competition last year, and passed an audition for a German Orchestra. He will be moving to Germany next season.

(Nodame: in wife-mode)

[Kikuchi Tohru (26)]

Chiaki: I thought he was still in Boston, so why is he here in Japan? According to the rumours, it seems like he’s not fleeing the heat – he’s fleeing certain difficulties…(involving women…)

-5-

Chiaki: Me too. (I thought that) many members gathered because it is summer. I wondered how this would turn out. But now that we’ve gathered, I really want to make this opera a success

Kikuchi et al: But still….why is Mine the director!?
[the question on everyone’s mind]

-6-

(song:
Ah, save me!* (1))

[Prince Tamino (tenor), Hanamaki Ryou (27)]

Oh…that’s the prince? Is he…a host or something?

Chiaki: Did you change your look just to pass the audition…?

(1) The Japanese translation has a slightly different nuance/meaning, but I wanted to see what the original was like, so this is taken from a translated libretto here.

-7-

Chiaki: But even he seems to be one of the young names that has been catching people’s attention

Kiyora: He’s pretty good, isn’t he?
Takahashi: Not my type…

Huh? It’s the first time we’re performing with singers too, so it’s not going well, but…that’s not the problem…

[the three ladies-in-waiting]
(song: were I to consecrate my heart to love, then it would have been to this youth*)

-8-

(sfx: shake, shake)

The process of staging an opera begins with “Music Rehearsals”
Under a répétiteur, singers work to grasp the lyrics and music of their own parts and commit them to memory.

Next, there are “Staging Rehearsals”
The director directs the performers to create character and the drama. Blocking and stage movements are also confirmed.

Then, we go into “Sitting Rehearsals” (i.e. Rehearsals with the Orchestra where the main point is for the performers to align their singing with the orchestra.)

Chiaki: Since we’re just finished with the music rehearsals, the sitting rehearsal should actually be taking place a fair bit later, but…it’s been a long time since the R*S Orchestra members last gathered, so we decided to have a drinking party, doubling as an exchange party with the singers…

However…
(song: For all the birdies (women) belong to me!!)

-9-

Chiaki: Stop stop!! (sign: can’t bear it anymore) What the hell is this? All of you! Why are you all jumping around* all over the place? I’ve never heard such an unpleasant Mozart (in my life)!

[*Lit: “shaking”: He’s talking about their voices here, which are probably shaking/jumping all over the place due to the excessive direction from Oukouchi. See below.]

Chiaki: After the auditions, a répétiteur I can trust should have directed them in plenty of music rehearsals whilst I was away!!

(Répétiteur: Katahira Ririko, (Katahira-san’s wife))
Katahira Ririko: A guy named Oukouchi-san came (suddenly)…and said “Whilst Chiaki’s away, I, the vice-conductor, will direct them”

-10-

Ookouchi!?

Chiaki: Who’s that…?

Katahira: I thought it was strange, too! But that guy…

Ookouchi: It’s because my version of “The Magic Flute” has a unique flavour.
(Ookouchi Mamoru (26), hidden member of the R*S Orchestra)

Ookouchi: Right, fermata!! Lots of rubato!!

(fermata: hold the note longer than its indicated duration; rubato: flexible tempo)

Ookouchi: I’ve also been honing my skills these last four years

Ookouchi: That’s it, girls!

Ookouchi: I’ve led a mothers’ choir to the championship in the Tama district!!

-11-

Ookouchi: Stop there…

Katahira: Hang on… Stopping the music there…you’re not following the score at all! (quit fooling around!)

Ookouchi: The creation of this silence tells a more eloquent story…

Katahira-san: Huh…?

Ookouchi: Konwitschny is also true-blue, you know

(Peter Konwitschny, a world-famous director, who has the perculiarity of stopping music just because he can.)

Katahira: In the end…

-12-

Katahira: I didn’t like it, but I couldn’t say anything with the vice-conductor there…

Ookouchi’s still around!?! (Where?!)

Chiaki: But…who the hell is Ookouchi? (vice-conductor?)

Singers: (a fake conductor!?) He stole our time!? Lesson fraud!?

Chiaki: For today…the orchestra is dismissed! The singers are to remain behind!!

(singers: …the mixer with the orchestra…our last two months…)

-13-

[Momogaoka University of Music]

Chiaki: We’re doing this over again! I’ll make you forget that weird “Magic Flute”

Suganuma: Before we start, Chiaki, I have a question. It’s been bothering me for ages… I’m fine with redoing the opera from the top since it’s unpleasant the way it is now…

-14-

Suganuma: But what is that girl to you?! A former girlfriend?

Anna: Huh!? (me?)

really? That’s what it is?

Chiaki: Wh…what kind of question is that!? It’s got nothing to do with this!!

Suganuma: Of course it does!! I’m the lead actress!?

Chiaki: And why does that matter?!

-15-

Anna: Um…I…lived in Vienna as a child because of my father’s work.

Anna: …there, I learnt ballroom dancing, and my partner was Chiaki! That’s all it was!!

Ohhhh~ Ballroom dancing. Oooooh~
That’s unexpected…
Chiaki dances….

Suganuma: Is that really all it is? Maybe you’re both trying to rekindle an old relationship…

Chiaki: What the hell have you come here for!? (I’ll set you on fire!!)

-16-

Suganuma: What’s with that? It’s something that we have to clear up!! (1)

Chiaki: you want a whack to the head?

Masumi: This is bad… It’s bad, Nodame-chan

Masumi: I’ll say this…I get…a far greater whiff of danger from that girl. One without poison.

Mine: ah…that’s not good…
Masumi: (she’s too beautiful) What will you do, Nodame-chan? (are you going to curse her?)

Nodame: The smell of danger…floating…

(1) Lit: stick a nail into; i.e. to make sure that nothing untoward happens

-17-

Nodame (focused on Chiaki and Suginuma): Those two…are like the two of us were in the past…!!

Mine: That’s what worries you!?!

Nodame: That girl is definitely Chiaki-sempai’s type!!

Masumi: I really don’t think so!

Hanamaki: Ok. I have something I want to say first myself, as the lead actor

-18-

Hanamaki: Can we turn off the AC? It’s ruining my voice.

Suganuma: No way!! This room is hot because the sun hits it

Hanamaki: It’s still June, isn’t it!! Open the windows!

(joining in) You don’t know how Chubby feels, do you?

Hanamaki: I’m the lead actor, you know!

(?): But Chubby here is the lead actress!

[Prince Tamino vs. Princess Parmina]

Suganuma: who are you calling Chubby!!

Chiaki (sighs): Hey, lead actress! Saya Suganuma!!

-19-

Chiaki: Let’s start with you singing Princess Parmina’s Aria.
Chiaki: The one person I haven’t heard, not even at the audition, the leader of this troupe and this opera’s lead actress

Suganuma: Alright

Chiaki: Can you really carry everyone with you?!

-20-

-21-

Humans really are amazing

-22-

Mine: Suganuma actually took 2nd place in the vocal category at the Oshiuri competition (1) after all. And, there was no first place!!

(1): The Oshiuri Newspaper Competition, aka Ou-con

Masumi: Huuuuuuh~

She’s expected to become a star of the singing world.

Nodame: Hiiiiii———–!!

Mine: But if she doesn’t slim down a little, I don’t think she’ll get many roles, huh?

Nodame: I have the feeling I’ve seen someone like her before…

Masumi: Oh, I see. So that’s why she’s created her own troupe…

-23-

Kiyora: And now, let’s start today’s main event! Let’s welcome Kuroki and Tanya!
(Kiyora, taking on her husband’s role in his absence, is already drunk)

They’re already here…
The main event…at two in the afternoon?

Kiyora: Master Kuroki, let’s start this talk show!

Here! Master! How did your romance begin?

Kuroki: Er, well…Our first meeting was horrible…so I don’t really want to talk…

Sensei, by “begin”, we mean the moment you started dating!!

-25-

Tanya: Well, on that topic…after the competition in Munich, we were having a toast at the hotel when this person, out of the blue…

Kuroki: I asked her out! Naturally! We started dating normally!!

That was really unnatural just then!
Out of the blue, he what–?!

Kiyora (in English): But Tanya, Kuroki is going to Germany next season, right? What are you going to do? Are you going with him?

-26-

Tanya: Ah…actually, I…

Kuroki (in French): About that, Tanya…I’d like you to come with me. We could even get engaged if you want. (1)

I have no idea what just happened
but Kuroki speaks French!!

That’s so sexy!
Master Kuroki—!!
Hurray for Master Kurokii!

(1) From the French, it’s just “we could even get engaged”, but I checked with some Japanese friends and added “if you want” to keep the nuance intact. i.e. Kuroki’s main point is that he wants Tanya to come to Germany with him. If she’d rather they be engaged first, then he’s ok with that too… and no, I don’t think he’s drunk (cf. ch35), he’s just someone who says things like this without thinking through them carefully… (cf. ch114).

-27-

Let’s sing Libiamo ne’ lieti calici!

(song: Let’s drink from the joyous chalice…let the fleeting hour to pleasure’s intoxication yield.)

(a famous song from La Traviata (Japanese: “Kanpai no Uta” from Tsubaki-hime; English: “Let’s drink from the joyous chalice” from La Traviata/Camille))

You’re just “lala-ing”, aren’t you!

(note: whilst the Kuroki festival continues…)

(Let’s drink to love’s sweet tremors…)

[The Miyoshi house]

-28-

-29-

Miyoshi Takehito (Chiaki’s uncle): Wahoo! She’s gotten good, that Nodame-chan!

Takehito: When’s the recital?
(‘morning!
‘morning)
Miyoshi Yuiko: August 22nd

Takehito: I see! In that case, we all have to go!

PA: Sir, I’m afraid you have a meeting with Mr. Koyama’s group on that day…

Takehito: (What?!) Then, let’s have the meeting at the concert venue.

PA: Doing something like that again~…

-30-

Suganuma: ho ho ho ho ho ho

Nodame: mukya~ a curse!!

(Home sweet home, after many months/years..)

[Next chapter in Kiss No. 2, which goes on sale on Jan 9th]

Reminder: Please DO NOT post this elsewhere (links are ok), and DO NOT USE IT FOR SCANLATIONS. Comments, corrections, suggestions etc, are welcome (^_^)

Translation notes:
There seem to be different terms in use in different parts of the English speaking world, so I chose ones that seem to collaborate with the ones that Ninomiya-sensei is using.
Edited (2010-12-23) to change the language for a better fit with the setting and the actual language used in the world of the manga (at least, as far as I know).

Other resources:
(1) Interview with Ashidachi Monoko (Japanese)
(2) コレペティトゥール＝？
(3) Types of rehearsal
(4) One reality of opera rehearsals

Last edit: 2010.04.27