Fidelio, Beethoven's only opera, was presented in April 2022 by the Los Angeles Philharmonic with Deaf West Theatre, conducted by Gustavo Dudamel. It featured the Manos Blancas Choir of deaf musicians from Venezuela and was the first sign language performance of the opera. Dudamel experienced an epiphany, urging a shift from viewing deaf artists as mere lights to artists as the faces of the production. This inspired director Maria Valverde to create El canto de la manos, focusing on three Venezuelan deaf musicians performing Fidelio. Dudamel's experience with Beethoven's sketched works further inspired the project, linking Beethoven's deafness with the musicians' experiences.
Dudamel reflected on his experience with deaf musicians, realizing they were the lights of a project and questioning what if they became the faces of Fidelio.
The documentary El canto de la manos explores the journey of three deaf musicians from Venezuela performing Beethoven's Fidelio in sign language, challenging norms.
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