《中英對照讀新聞》Sarah Brightman, former ’’Phantom of the Opera’’ star, to become first singer to croon in space 曾主演「歌劇魅影」的莎拉布萊曼將成為首位在太空開唱的歌手

◎管淑平

Soprano Sarah Brightman has performed on Broadway, London’s West End and at two Olympics, but there has always been one final frontier for the space enthusiast.

女高音莎拉布萊曼已在百老匯、倫敦西區劇院以及2次奧運會上表演過，但對這名太空熱愛者來說，總還是有塊最後疆界待征服。

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Until now.

現在時刻到了。

The 54-year-old music icon will begin her 10-day stint in space and on-board the ISS on 1 September. In the process, she will become the first professional singer to croon outside Earth’s atmosphere.

這名現年54歲的音樂界代表人物9月1日將展開10天太空之旅，登上國際太空站。期間，她將成為第1位在地球大氣層以外開唱的專業歌手。

"I would like to sing something from space," Brightman told reporters of her plans to reteam with ex-husband Andrew Lloyd Webber to write a new song that’s appropriate for the historic first.

「我想從太空上唱歌，」布萊曼告訴記者她重新與前夫韋伯合作的計畫，創作適合這個史上第1次表演的新歌。

"We’re trying to work out all the technical details, obviously it’s quite a complex thing to do."

「我們正努力解決所有技術細節，顯然這相當不簡單。」

Equally hard is getting ready for the journey, run by the private company Space Adventures, training for which began in January in Moscow.

此行的準備工作也沒比較輕鬆。這趟旅程由民間公司「太空冒險」規劃，1月起在莫斯科為此行展開訓練。

The former "Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats" star described the centrifuge experience – simulating the g-force she’d experience at launch – like having "an elephant on your chest."

這名曾主演「歌劇魅影」和「貓」的明星形容，身處重力離心機模擬升空時將經歷的重力，就像「有隻大象踩在你的胸口」。

Brightman says she’s looked to the stars ever since she watched the moon landing as a child.

布萊曼說，從她小時候看人類登陸月球，就期盼上太空。

"I think that moment, it was pivotal in my life," she said. "It was always my ambition to fly to space."

「我想那是我生命中很重要的一刻，」她說。「飛上太空，一直是我追求的目標。」

新聞辭典

croon：動詞，低聲地或充滿柔情地輕唱，低吟。例句：The father crooned to the baby to help her sleep.（這名父親輕聲唱歌給寶寶聽幫她入眠。）

stint：名詞，節省，吝嗇，限制，（從事某事的）一段時間。用法如：a two-year stint abroad（在國外待2年）

work out：動詞片語，解決，如預期進展，耗竭（資源、體力等）。The project works out well.（這項計畫進展順利。）