El Canto de las Manos

Presented by Opera Idaho and Boise State University School of the Arts

The Song of the Hands explores deafness through music, following Jennifer, Gabriel and José, three Deaf musicians from Venezuela, as they face the challenge of staging, for the first time in Sign Language, Beethoven's Fidelio, under the baton of Gustavo Dudamel.

The film shows the isolation that the protagonists experience within their own families and the social discrimination due to their hearing condition, understanding that music is not only their refuge, but their salvation and their hope.

An extraordinary journey that follows the audition preparations and the creative process behind Fidelio, culminating in its premiere in Caracas. Not only is this the first time Fidelio has been performed in sign language, but it also marks the debut of the protagonists as actors and soloists, offering them the opportunity to become role models within their community.