Experiencing “Fidelio” with the Coro de Manos Blancas
Members of the Sign Language (LSV) section of the Coro de Manos Blancas (White Hands Choir), February 2024. Photo by Yanasasha Pacheco.
Twelve professional musicians from the Coro de Manos Blancas (CMB) of Venezuela are joining Deaf West Theatre and the Los Angeles Philharmonic for a revival of their acclaimed production of Fidelio. The CMB, a part of Venezuela's El Sistema, provides a creative environment for Deaf musicians, and musicians with disabilities, to develop their artistry.
In this innovative production, the story of Beethoven’s Fidelio is told through the composer’s music by hearing and Deaf musicians. The groundbreaking collaboration began with the opera's initial staging in April 2022. As the CMB prepares to return to Los Angeles for the May 2024 revival, we asked them about their experience performing and touring with the production.
Photography by Yanasasha Pacheco.
What does it mean to you to work with the Deaf West Theatre actors?
Dayana Onofrietti Gómez
“Working with Deaf West Theatre means a lot to me. They are very successful artists and have shown that there are no barriers that cannot be broken down. I greatly admire them, and they inspire me to achieve more every day.”
Luis Chinchilla
“For me, it is an excellent experience to be able to work with Deaf West. We can learn from them and enrich our expression because they are professionals in the world of acting. The Coro de Manos Blancas is dedicated to working on good use of Sign Language in the musical area, but in order to carry that melodic message of a lyric sung by voices, it requires many skills. Among which are expressiveness and knowledge of the body that we improve with the advice and guidance from the Deaf West actors.”
Alfonso López Timaure
“It is an experience that is only brought to life in the unique work that Deaf West Theatre does by mixing ASL with the listeners' language. For me it was a gift they gave me, because I didn't know that we could do theater. Deaf West Theatre inspired me to want to learn more and do more theater for Deaf and hearing people to enjoy a new form of art together.”
María Estefanía Prieto
“It is a wonderful opportunity to share knowledge and experiences with them. The actors at Deaf West Theater are professionals with careers in various artistic areas, which makes me think about how very blessed I am to be able to combine our works in this musical project.”
What does Beethoven mean to you?
Yessica Montes de Oca
“Beethoven was an exceptional musician and composer who, despite limitations, left an indelible mark on the history of music. Beethoven inspires me to know that I can also leave my mark on music. Our production of Fidelio and the story of Beethoven are proof that there are no limits for the human spirit. For me, Fidelio represents faith, trust, loyalty and hope.”
María Inmaculada Velásquez Echeverría
“Beethoven is inspiration. There are no physical limits when you do what you are passionate about. Fidelio is freedom, as it breaks with musical paradigms by showing society that music is universal in its ability to communicate freely across different languages.”
What do you look forward to most about the upcoming tour of Fidelio?
Jennifer González
“I’m excited for Fidelio’s preparations and rehearsals for the upcoming tour, and that we will be presenting concerts in several countries in the cities of Los Angeles, Barcelona, Paris and London. I feel proud because we are going to present the opera even better than before.”
Yeison Nohe Escobar Almao
“What excites me most about this new tour is the opportunity to bring Fidelio to new stages around the world and see the public reaction. I hope to be able to interact with and meet Deaf people from all of the countries that we visit.”
What is a favorite memory from the rehearsals, or previous performances, of Fidelio?
Alejandro Rivero Giménez
“One of the most emotional experiences of my life was when our Director María Inmaculada gave me the news that I had been selected to represent the Choir on this international tour. It filled me with an indescribable emotion because never in my life had I imagined having the opportunity to travel, much less to the United States. Another great memory was the day they approved our American Visa in Colombia, which would be the beginning of a wonderful experience presenting Fidelio at the Walt Disney Concert Hall — the most significant experience and the most important thing I have achieved in my life.”
César Alejandro Rodríguez
“My favorite memory in Fidelio was when I played Pizarro's soldier in 2023, grabbing the prisoner Florestan while he was coming down the stairs and throwing him to the ground. I only dreamed about doing theater, and I can't stop thinking about this experience because I had never felt that many people looking at us for the first time. It was as if it were a movie.”
What do you want the world to know about Deaf people and Deaf artists?
Jesús López Timaure
“I want the world to understand that we are people with abilities and we can demonstrate that you can also do theater, we have no differences, we just speak a different language. Just as other people of another language do theater, we make music, and we communicate messages and music with our language.”
Dodanim Castillo
“I want the world to know that, although we are Deaf people and have physical disabilities, we also have the ability to be integrated into society, contributing to the enrichment and development of music. And that we serve as a model for other countries by combining, in one project, maximum artistic quality and a deep ethical conviction aimed towards the improvement of society and spreading harmony throughout the world.”
Gabriel Linarez
“We can do and achieve the same things as hearing people and that the inclusion of the Deaf community is vital for humanity.”
José Gabriel Abarca
“I want you to know that we as Deaf artists have a deep love and passion for everything we do and what we set out to achieve, we achieve. Personally I love sign language music and being able to share stage with professional musicians on equal terms is something that motivates and fills me with a lot of passion, that love for what we do is what I love to transmit to the world.”
Alejandro Rosales
“That Deaf artists are Artists in every sense of the word and are as capable as any hearing artist. Sign language is a rich language and is highly performative, that is, it is the perfect language for this style of work and is a resource that the deaf community has been fighting to make visible. I also want you to know that it is super important to support these spaces of inclusion so that they can continue to be generated and that the Deaf community can enjoy shows and places that are increasingly accessible.”
