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Subtitles in app

Subtitles in the LYRI app help the audience follow shows and events on their own device. The text is in sync in real time. It is available in several languages.

The emotions of the stage:
in real time, anywhere
and in every language.

Audience member in a theatre reading the opera’s subtitles on their smartphone

With the LYRI app, the audience reads the dialogue in real time on their own device. They can choose from the available languages. The text adapts automatically to the screen size, for perfect reading.

One of our operators in the auditorium keeps the content in sync with the action on stage. To keep the auditorium dark and avoid distractions, the app’s background is black. The system manages the brightness.

The benefits of our service:

Use of your own device: the audience member reads directly on their own personal device. It is a flexible solution. No fixed equipment is needed in the auditorium. The theatre does not have to buy any extra devices.

Simple, instant access: download the free LYRI app and pick the event to see the content. You do not need to register or do any complicated setup.

Many languages: subtitles can be offered in several languages at the same time. Users choose their language in the app.

Real-time sync: an operator in the auditorium keeps the text in time with the action on stage. Reading stays smooth and quick throughout the performance.

Smart brightness control: the system manages the brightness of each device. This keeps the auditorium dark and does not disturb people nearby. Users can only make a small manual adjustment, to suit their own screen.

Minimal battery use: the app is built to use very little battery. You can enjoy the event from start to finish without worrying about your device.

Extra content and sponsors: the system can show extra information about the performance. There is also a space you can customise for sponsors and theatre notices.

We have provided
subtitles for:

Festival Verdi - Teatro Regio di Parma
Teatro Regio di Parma - Festival Verdi - Teatro Farnese

Stiffelio (directed by Graham Vick, winner of the Abbiati Award – 2017)

Italian and English subtitles in the LYRI app for the Verdi Immersive/360° Theatre festival.
SERVICES OFFERED
Subtitles
Subtitles
Multilingual
Multilingual
Smartphone and tablet
App
A person holds a smartphone with subtitles in front of a theatre scene and a banner about freedom of opinion

The Teatro Regio di Parma is one of Italy’s most important and historic opera houses. It is in Parma. Duchess Maria Luigia wanted it, and it opened in 1829. It is a landmark of international opera. It is closely tied to the works of Giuseppe Verdi. Every year it hosts the Festival Verdi.
This production was special: immersive and in 360°. The subtitles in the app replaced surtitles perfectly. They made the opera easier to follow. People could follow it in several languages.

Teatro Comunale di Bologna - Fondazione

Teatro Comunale di Bologna

Surtitles in Italian and English with a projector, and multilingual subtitles in the LYRI app. For the opera season and lyric concerts, from 2022 to today.
SERVICES OFFERED
Surtitles
Surtitles
Smartphone and tablet
Subtitles in the LYRI app
Multilingual
Multilingual
Video projector
Projector
Scene from Mozart’s “Idomeneo” at the Teatro Comunale di Bologna, with surtitles above the stage and the orchestra in the pit

The Teatro Comunale di Bologna (TCBO) was founded in 1763. It is one of the most important opera and symphonic theatres in Italy and in the world. Its historic venue is in the centre of Bologna. It is known for its excellent acoustics. It has also hosted many works by Giuseppe Verdi. Today, besides the historic venue, it also has the Comunale Nouveau. This space opened in 2022. It hosts most of the programme while the theatre is being restored and redeveloped.
Since 2022, TCBO has used the LYRI system for every performance of the opera season and for lyric concerts. Surtitles and in-app subtitles are always in Italian and English. If the text is sung in another language, the app can also show surtitles in the original language at any time.

Teatro Dante Alighieri di Ravenna - Teatro di Tradizione

Teatro Alighieri di Ravenna – Ravenna Festival

Surtitles in Italian and English with a projector. Subtitles in several languages in the app. For all opera performances.
SERVICES OFFERED
Surtitles
Surtitles in Italian and English
Multilingual
Multilingual
Video projector
Projector
Smartphone and tablet
Multilingual subtitles in the app
Scene from an opera with Italian surtitles projected below the stage
The Teatro Alighieri in Ravenna has offered subtitles in the LYRI app since 2015. They cover all its opera performances. That was the year the service first came to the theatre world. Ravenna was the first venue to choose this digital solution. We still work together today, show after show.
A partnership of excellence that brings new ideas to a remarkable historic setting. The Teatro Dante Alighieri is a prestigious Teatro di Tradizione. It is a key place to share and keep alive the great history of opera.
Portrait of a woman with round glasses and a dark bob, leaning on a desk, from “L’Analfabeta”
Romaeuropa Festival (Teatro Vascello di Roma), Piccolo Teatro di Milano (Studio Melato) and AMAT (Teatro Concordia di San Benedetto del Tronto)

L’Analfabeta (2026)

English subtitles and accessible Italian subtitles with sound description, in the LYRI app. Italian and English audio introduction played in the auditorium. Italian audio description in the LYRI app. The service was automatic, with no human operator. We gave it at every performance at Romaeuropa Festival, Piccolo Teatro di Milano and AMAT (accessible-for-all production).
SERVICES OFFERED
Subtitles
English subtitles in app
Smartphone and tablet
Accessible Italian subtitles with sound description in app
Earpiece
Audio introduction and audio description in app
Scene from Fanny & Alexander’s “L’Analfabeta”: panels with blue projections on the stage

L’Analfabeta by Fanny & Alexander and Federica Fracassi was a fully accessible production. It was also fully automated, with no human operator. It had English subtitles and accessible Italian subtitles with sound description in the app. It also had audio introduction and audio description. It is a rare and unique project. It brought together every accessibility service LYRI offers. We built them in from the production stage, not just for single performances. The show is based on heterodirection. This structure let us match the accessible content very precisely to the live action. So we could automate all the management. As a result, all ten performances at the Piccolo Teatro di Milano were accessible.
A pioneering project. It points to the future of accessibility in live performance.

TSV - Teatro Stabile del Veneto - Teatro Nazionale
Teatro Stabile del Veneto - Teatro Nazionale (Padova, Treviso, Venezia), Centro Servizi Culturali San Chiara (Trento), Teatro del Giglio (Lucca)

Il gabbiano (directed by Filippo Dini)

English surtitles. On the LYRI app, accessible Italian subtitles with sound description, and English subtitles. Italian audio introduction played in the auditorium. Italian audio description in the LYRI app. We gave the service at every date of the tour. This was in Padua, Treviso, Venice and the theatres of Trento and Lucca.
SERVICES OFFERED
Surtitles
English surtitles
Subtitles
Accessible Italian subtitles with sound description in app
Smartphone and tablet
LYRI app
Smart glasses
Subtitles on smart glasses
Earpiece
Audio introduction and audio description
Two actors kneeling on stage, with a deckchair and a small table behind them, in “Il gabbiano” directed by Filippo Dini

Teatro Stabile del Veneto “Carlo Goldoni” (TSV) is a major Italian theatre institution. It was founded in 1992. It is recognised as a National Theatre. It runs the seasons of the Teatro Goldoni in Venice and the Teatro Verdi in Padua. It promotes the making and sharing of theatre culture. It pays special attention to classical drama and to Carlo Goldoni.
TSV promotes access for all. It wants to remove physical, sensory and cognitive barriers. It offers shows with audio description and subtitles in the LYRI app, and on smart glasses too. This makes the experience open to everyone.
“Il gabbiano” (The Seagull) was directed by Filippo Dini. With this production, the accessible-for-all model also reached one performance in Trento and one in Lucca.

Subtitles FAQ

This list gathers the questions people ask most about our in-app subtitles.

Can I receive the subtitles directly on my smartphone?

Of course, with our LYRI app. You can download and use it free of charge from the App Store and Google Play.

How are the subtitles activated?

Open the LYRI app and select the event you are attending. The subtitles appear on your device by themselves, already in sync with the performance. The app stops the phone from going into standby. If you lock the phone manually, the subtitles are no longer visible.

How do I choose the language?

Once you have opened the current event, choose your preferred language from those available. Use the menu in the top left corner.

How do I know who is speaking?

In opera, we show the character’s name, because the pace of the singing leaves time to read this too. In drama, we use different colours to tell the characters apart straight away.

How does the synchronised synopsis work?

The paragraph for the current scene stands out from the others. This shows clearly where you are in the story.

Once the event is over, do the subtitles remain in the app?

No, when the event ends, the content is not saved on the device. The LYRI app works like a container. It fills up in real time with content for the current event. It empties completely at the end of the performance.

Who prepares the subtitles and translations?

We produce the subtitles and translations ourselves. The languages are chosen by the theatre, among those prepared and checked in advance.

Is the app free for audiences?

Yes. The app is free and you do not need to register. The cost of the service is covered by whoever organises the event.

Where can audiences find the instructions?

On the App instructions page: it explains in a few steps how to download and use the app at the theatre. You can share it with your audience.