Well I struggle with subtitles. My mum is extremely deaf and watches telly with her hearing aids out (because my dad's telly in the next room is so loud) and the subtitles on, volume right down. I just can't get used to it. I need the sound up to get the atmosphere, and, try as I might, I can't follow what goes on if I'm reading the captions at the bottom. I suppose practice would help. We went to see Carmen last week. There were English surtitles projected above the stage. It took me five minutes to decide to ignore them, sit back, and enjoy the production. I couldn't make out the words (next to impossible even if the damn thing's in your own language anyway),but I knew the plot and the tunes so I was very happy.