《中英對照讀新聞》 Donkey takes final bow at ballet troupe 芭蕾舞團的驢子最後一次謝幕

◎魏國金

Russia’s Mariinsky ballet has said farewell to one of its longest-serving artistes： a 21-year-old female donkey named Monika.

俄羅斯的馬林斯基芭蕾舞團告別了其中一名服務最久的藝人︰一頭名叫莫妮卡的21歲母驢。

The animal is to be pensioned off after 19 years carrying the knight’s overweight servant Sancho Panza around the stage in productions of the ballet Don Quixote. The Mariinsky, previously known as the Kirov, is one of Russia’s foremost ballet troupes.

這頭驢子在芭蕾舞劇唐．吉柯德中，背著唐．吉柯德過重的僕人桑丘．潘薩，遊走舞台19個年頭後，將告老退休。之前以基洛夫之名聞名於世的馬林斯基是俄羅斯的一流芭蕾舞團之一。

At her farewell party, Monika danced a waltz with one of the Mariinsky’s ballerinas and was presented with retirement gifts of carrot cake, a pinafore and a kerchief. Her role will be taken over by a female donkey named Alina.

在惜別宴上，莫妮卡與馬林斯基的一名芭蕾女伶跳了一支華爾茲，並被獻上紅蘿蔔蛋糕、一條圍兜與一塊頭巾等退休禮物。牠的角色將由名為艾琳娜的母驢接替。

"She loves to perform and she loves applause," said Tatyana Solomatina, a spokeswoman for St Petersburg zoo, where Monika lives between performances. "She knew the exact time to appear in the ballet, even without someone accompanying her."

「她喜愛表演與掌聲，」聖彼得堡動物園發言人索洛瑪提娜女士說；演出間隔莫妮卡都住在該動物園。「她知道在芭蕾表演中現身的正確時間，甚至無人陪伴時亦復如此。」

新聞辭典

artiste︰藝人。artist則是藝術家、某領域的大師、能手，比如an artist in words（語言大師）、con artist（擅長花言巧語的騙子）。

take a bow︰鞠躬答禮、謝幕。請比較make one’s bow（初次露面）。例句︰Her new novel will make its bow next month.（她的新小說將於下月與讀者見面。）

pension off︰發給…養老、退職金使其退休、退職；也有不再使用之意。例句︰The old washing machine was pensioned off.（這台舊洗衣機報廢了。）

來源：自由時報

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