In a reproducing apparatus capable of displaying text subtitles in synchronization with an AV stream, before the AV stream is reproduced, text subtitle streams and font information are read into a preload buffer section (122, 123) in a sequence determined by a priority language setting section (131), and subtitle images are generated from the text subtitle streams and font information and displayed overlaid on the image information of the AV stream. Even if a preload buffer section with a small memory size is used, when the text subtitle language is switched, the text subtitle display can be switched smoothly, with little likelihood of interrupting the audio-video display.