LYRICS & CRAFTS
III International Congress
on Song Dubbing
& Translation for Musical Theatre
Online, 8-10 May 2026
Conference theme
Stage and film musicals are a complex artistic genre (Kenrick 2000/2020) which is usually called upon to endure over time and cross borders. When translating a theatrical or audiovisual work into other languages and cultures, one of the great challenges faced by those who import it is to produce an effect in the target audience that is very similar to that produced in the country of origin (Cotes Ramal 2005; Franzon 2005; Apter and Herman 2016: 58; Low 2017: 109-111).
For this purpose, it is essential to understand in depth those key elements that need to be transferred, taking into account the original work and the type of commission (Mateo 2008; Mas-Griera 2020: 6:48 and 26:48). This requires the need for creators, translators, adaptors and stage directors to reach a series of consensus.
The working thesis is to demonstrate that, if the necessary conditions are given, versions that are faithful to both form and content can be achieved, placing special emphasis on the balance that should be met between literality and literariness (Etkind 1982: 261 ; Gallegos Rosillo 2001; Torrent-Lenzen 2006; Low 2005, 2013).
The main objective of this conference is to create a space for reflection and dialogue among the different agents of the professional world and the university field, at an international level, with a special focus on song lyrics, given the enormous complexity that can be found in the task of recreating them in other languages.
Both approaches, practice and research, complement each other when it comes to assessing the quality of the resulting product, both in dubbing and in the musical theatre.
The recipients of this congress are:
Creators
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Musical theatre composers
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Lyricists
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Composition students
Translators and adaptors
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Audiovisual and literary translators
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Song adaptors
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Translation students
Performers
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Actors and singers
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Dubbing actors
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Stage directors
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Choreographers
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Musical theatre students
Researchers and lecturers
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Audiovisual and literary translation teachers
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Researchers in the field of musical translation and adaptation
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Researchers in the field of musical theatre or musical films
The Third Congress on Song Dubbing and Translation for Musical Theatre will be dedicated, but not limited to, the following topics and themes:
1. Rhymes and reasons
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Psychology behind the rhyme-as-reason effect
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The contribution of rhyme to language acquisition
2. The architecture of Broadway songs
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Rhyme in musical theatre
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Style in Broadway lyrics
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Singability: writing lyrics with consideration of music and staging
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Why is the title of a song so important?
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Songwriting through the years: evolution of the genre
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The music industry in relation to songs
3. Song dubbing and translation for musical theatre
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The cultural challenge behind exporting Broadway musicals
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Defining equivalence and setting standards: content and form
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Credibility and dubbing? Is it possible to persuade the audience?
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In search of a comprehensive model for analysis
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The profession of song translators
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Training for translating and adapting musicals
4. Musical accesibility
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Strategies for the translation and interpretation of songs into sign language
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Strategies for audio description in musical theatre
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Preferences and audience reception among people with sensory disabilities
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Real-life experiences and best practices in the field of musical accessibility
The working languages are English and Spanish.
Please submit abstracts of 300 words (excluding references) via e-mail. The submission deadline is 30 Jan 2026, and acceptance or rejection will be communicated by 1 Mar 2026.
Your Abstract Submission must include the following information and be adapted to our Abstract Sheet:
Title:
Author:
Institution, Company or freelance translator or interpreter (specify):
Abstract (Max. 300 words):
Email:
Phone number:
Additionally, the journal Transletters will dedicate a special issue in 2026 to musical translation and adaptation, featuring a selection of papers presented at the congress.
Fees
Speakers - Early bird fee (until March 31) - 70€
Speakers - Last call (from April 1) - 90€
Participants - Early bird fee (until March 31) - 25€
Participants - Last call (from April 1) - 40€
Students - Early bird fee (until March 31) -5€
Students - Last call (from April 1) - 10€
Registration: LINK
E-mail address for correspondence: doblaje@saunders.es
Congress organisation
Nicholas Saunders (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones, Spain)
Iñaki Torre Fica (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones, Spain)
Secretary
Mar Ogea Pozo (University of Córdoba, Spain)
Mónica Zapardiel (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones, Spain)
María Ofelia Saunders (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones, Spain)
Mar Ogea Pozo (University of Córdoba, Spain)
Daniel Ricardo Soto Bueno (University of Málaga, Spain)
Alberto Mira (Oxford Brookes University, UK)
Paula Cifuentes Férez (University of Murcia, Spain)
Raúl Galoppe (Montclair State University, USA)
Jerusa Arias (Escuela Superior de Arte Dramático de Murcia, Spain)
17:15 Presentation (Language: English & Spanish)
Iñaki Torre (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones)
Nicholas Saunders (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones)
17:30 Del chocolate y sus derivados. Ingredientes para una suculenta adaptación de las canciones de Wonka (Language: Spanish)
Iñaki Torre (Escuela de Doblaje de Canciones)
18:00 La traducción de Little Shop of Horrors en España (Language: Spanish)
Joan Manuel Segura-Guiscafré
20:00 Building Multimodal Cohesion on Stage through Translated Song: Integrating Translations of Frank Sinatra’s Songs into a Theatrical Performance (Language: English)
Anna Rędzioch-Korkuz (University of Warsaw, Poland)
20:30 Feeling with Sounds, Seeing with Words: Making La dama boba Accessible for Blind and Low Vision Spanish-Speaking Audiences in New York (Language: English)
M.ª José García Vizcaíno & Raúl Galoppe (Montclair State University, USA)
11:00 Preferencias del público meta en la traducción de canciones para doblaje italiano-español (Language: Spanish)
Alba Regadera (University of Murcia, Spain)
11:30 Poner el cuerpo doblemente: una traducción cantable de «Chosen family» (Language: Spanish)
Dr. Daniel Ricardo Soto Bueno (University of Málaga, Spain)
12:00 La adaptación musical para teatro (Language: Spanish)
Ricard Reguant (Musical theatre director)
Albert Mas-Griera (Song adaptor & theatrical translator)
16:30 Mesa redonda sobre adaptación musical (Language: Spanish)
María Ovelar (Song adaptor & musical dubbing director)
Sandra Brizuela (Song adaptor & audiovisual translator)
Marcelo Kotliar (Song adaptor & theatrical translator)
Ángel Fernández Sebastián (Song adaptor & audiovisual translator)
17:30 Where Have Singable Translations in China Gone?: Functional (Un)Translatability of Contemporary Popular Music (Language: English)
Guanchi Wang (School of Modern Languages and Cultures, University of Warwick, UK)
18:00 Ecosystems of song translation: oral, printed and recorded forms (Language: English)
Johan Franzon (University of Helsinki, Finland)
19:30 Traducir a Cole Porter: ingenio, cultura, teatro (Language: Spanish)
Alberto Mira (Oxford Brookes University, UK)
19:30 Roundtable discussion: The Relevance of Dubbing Today (Language: English)
AVÜ e. V. - Bettina Arlt, Charlotte Stein (Germany)
Synchronverband - Änne Troester (Germany)
DHAP - Dora Jakobovic (Croatia)
ATRAE - Iris C. Permuy (Spain)
AETI - Sabela Ríos y María Guijarro (Spain)