AW: Is it necessary to speak Chinese to fully appreciate the radio play? Or is it that thanks to the melody of this language and the musical layer it can be enjoyed by anyone?
MM: When I was composing, Mao Rui’s voice was like a musical instrument for me. It held the entire lyrical layer, but I tried to use it in diverse ways. I was sampling, preparing the sound, filtering. Thus, it takes on a universal, melodic character and I do think the album is interesting for the audience even if they do not know Chinese.
JK: The radio play is for everyone, both Chinese and non-Chinese speakers. There is more music than lyrics, which was our aim from the beginning. As a result, it is universal. On 24 June we plan to release the radio play on streaming services (like Spotify, Tidal, Apple Music, etc.), so that Western listeners will also have the opportunity to become familiar with it. You can already find some parts on YouTube.
AW: How long did it take you to realize this project? Which part was the most difficult?
MM: It has already been 14 months since together with Kuba we created the first document we wanted to present to the Adam Mickiewicz Institute. From an artistic point of view, the most difficult part was keeping balance between the musical and lyrical layer. I was always conflicted as to how to treat both of them equally. It was a long process, especially in terms of organization.
JK: To be honest, it was not easy to convince the Polish side to take part in the project. On the other hand, it took us only a few days to convince the Chinese. The artistic work was a pure pleasure. I have already mentioned Michał’s qualities, our cooperation is always based on mutual respect, there is no tension and the atmosphere is great. As for Mao Rui, we met in studio only once, before we had only contact via telephone. Mao Rui is an outstanding linguist, her Polish is sometimes more Polish than ours (laugh). Our work at the studio was surprisingly fruitful. We made only two approaches and it turned out that her diction, tone of voice, sense of timing – everything – was perfectly professional.
AW: How did you get interested in Polish literature? What are your favourite Polish writers?
MR: I graduated from Polish Studies at Beijing Foreign Studies University and continued at Jagiellonian University. My PhD thesis was a study in linguistics and language teaching, so I am not a literary scholar, but reading Polish literature brings me much joy and happiness in day to day life. I really like non-fiction and crime fiction. Lately I have been reading Justyna Kopińska’s reportages. When it comes to crime fiction, many people say that Scandinavian novels are the best, but I think they do not appreciate Polish writers, probably due to a lack of Chinese translations. I like Zygmunt Miłoszewski’s trilogy about prosecutor Szacki. I also read some novels by Joanna Bator and Dorota Masłowska.
AW: What is your favourite Lem novel? Do you plan to translate any other Polish writers’ works?
MR: In the last two years, when I was working on the translation, I was gripped by complicated emotions – excitement mixed with confusion, pride with depression. I was excited by the unlimited power of science and confused by the limits of my own knowledge. Proud to be able to participate in a direct conversation with Lem and to explore his cyberworlds, but at the same time depressed about having wasted so much time. So now, I can only admire the vast knowledge of this incredible genius. After I had finished translating The Cyberiad, I also translated Summa Technologiae together with two other translators. Now I am working on the translation of Dorota Masłowska’s book and I also found many challenges there. As I mentioned before, a translator has to look from three different points of view, so they have to understand the original text and author’s intentions, as well as to know how to pass them to the readers and move them. At the same time, the translator has to keep all the uniqueness of the author’s style. I am very happy that I have regular contact with Dorota, so I can ask for help if I have any doubts or ambiguities. While looking for the best solutions, we usually have many fascinating discussions.
AW: In the teaser for the ‘Future: ON’ project, Mao Rui emphasises that the future as seen through Lem's eyes is close to the Chinese reader. Why?
JK: I think that Lem is popular in China due to the futuristic character of his work. It corresponds with the day to day technological progress. What meant ‘future’ to Lem, is ‘now’ in China. Robotics, automation, bots, holograms and unmanned aerial vehicles are part of everyday life there.
MR: Lem has not only predicted the future – which proves just how wide his horizons were – but he also presented a vision that does not refer to one country, it is universal for all of humanity, even for the entire universe. Of course, this is my personal point of view. When I read Lem’s works, I am often amazed by his elaborate writing: it is funny, humorous, engaging, it combines science with humanities, technology with art. After reading Lem’s books one feels excited, but as you think the whole content over and over, it can send a chill down your spine. If we consider how popular Lem is among Chinese readers, we can say that his works speak to their imagination.
AW: You mentioned that ‘The Cyberiad’ appeared in China for the first time in the 1990s, but at first it was perceived mostly as a fairy-tale. When did it change? What is the current perception of Lem’s work in China?
MR: I guess the best summary I can give here is an opinion one of the readers posted online. Here it is:
Science fiction stories, philosophical parables, cyber epics, fairy-tales about robots. Lem is like a prophet dressed in a cloak, looking into the future and predicting it. He seems to be able to see the world five thousands years ago and in five thousands years – or more. Stories enclosed in stories, tales inside other tales, revolution, disillusionment, utopia, dictatorship, informatization, references to history, but also to the present. In ‘Kobyszczę’ (Happy Being Contemplator) and ‘Powtórka’ (Repeat), the writer creates countless ‘perfect ideologies’ and ‘ultimate states’ using diverse scientific, philosophical and sociological concepts, but in the end, all of them explode for different reasons. This literary experiment strikes right into human fantasies of utopia. This is truly magnificent.