Georgian Translation of Shakespeare
By Mariam Chanishvili
Friday, February 16
Organized and supported by the British Embassy and British Council, presentation of Manana Antadze’s new translation was held on February 15 at the British Embassy, Tbilisi.
Due to the high quality of Shakespeare’s translation, this is very important for the history of Georgian-British cultural relations.
Emeritus Professor of Russian and Georgian, Queen Mary University of London, Donald Rayfield noted that Antadze’s work is not only a translator and specialist in English literature, but she has also been trained up by working on the production of plays in the theatre.
“Since reading Manana Antadze’s translations, especially King Lear, in which she has not lost a single drop of the tears and the horror, I now realize that Shakespeare in Georgian has now risen to previously unknown heights. As I read, I compared it to the original and to earlier translations, and formed the impression that Manana Antadze’s language is far clearer and that the translation has astounding accuracy,” stated Rayfield.
The British Embassy congratulated Manana Antadze, hoping to see other translations in the nearest future.
Manana Antadze is a Georgian translator and the Founder and President of Tumanishvili Theater Foundation. She has also been working as a freelance translator since 1974 and her numerous translations include William Shakespeare?s Macbeth, Irving Stone?s Lust for Life, and J. K. Rowling?s Harry Potter and the Philosopher?s Stone.
She is an active member of English Speaking Union, which has been introducing Georgian culture to the UK and British culture to Georgia.
The British Council is the UK’s international organization for cultural relations and educational opportunities. Supporting knowledge and understanding between the people of the UK and other countries, they work with over 100 countries across the world in the fields of arts and culture, English language, education and civil society.
Founded in 1934, The British Council is a UK charity governed by Royal Charter and a UK public body.
British Council has been in Georgia since 1993. Every year, they reach out to thousands of students, educators, policymakers, academics, researchers and entrepreneurs in Georgia.
