It is part of the process. More often than not we aren't just translating because very rarely do we find a simple word for word correspondence. The process of taking something from German or Italian or French (or Russian or Czech) into English requires us to interpret the meaning of the original text and turn it into words that resonate for us. That's a huge first step not just in knowing what we are saying but why we are saying it and what it means in a larger context. Nico is fine in a pinch but for the most part I find his translations to be written for people with no knowledge of the language. I'm happy I translated Walkure on my own. And I'm glad I bought the Ring Cycle because he does disentangle some passages that are very difficult for anyone, but I found that I got more depth from the original by looking up words and reading the whole entry (and occasionally talking to native speakers who can explain what the connotation of a word is, not just the most obvious definition).
btw, I have the same problem watching French films with subtitles. The translations are more often than not simplified (which is a nice way of saying dumbed down). That kind of superficial understanding is enough for the casual opera goer who will hopefully (although it's certainly not a given) get the nuance from the singer and the orchestral music, but it is not nearly enough for the performer.
Houndentenor
"Get the trash off the street and back on the stage where it belongs." -- Bette Midler
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