William Weaver

“The writer is creating something out of nothing, whereas the translator is recreating something that’s already there.”

“Translation is a kind of reading, in a way. I mean, you have to read the book so carefully.”

“I think the translator has to have a certain humility. You’re serving the author, you’re not serving yourself.”

“You have to be a little bit of an actor. You have to be able to hear the author’s voice and then reproduce it in your own language.”

“Sometimes you find a word that is exactly right, and it’s a wonderful feeling. It’s like finding a four-leaf clover.”

“Opera is a kind of universal language. It speaks to everybody.”

“You try to get the flavor of the original, but you have to be aware that you're creating something new.”