About this Artist
Founded in 1991, Deaf West has been enriching the lives of Deaf and hearing individuals alike for more than 30 years through its commitment to innovation, collaboration, education, and social change.
Deaf West productions engage artists and audiences in unparalleled entertainment experiences inspired by Deaf culture and the expressive power of sign language. By weaving ASL (American Sign Language) and spoken English together into a seamless ballet of movement and voice, Deaf West serves as the artistic bridge between the Deaf and hearing worlds.
Through the medium of accessible entertainment, a legacy of Deaf culture is created, nurtured, and preserved.
Beethoven’s Fidelio is Deaf West’s first opera. When thinking about the production, DWT kept returning to one simple truth: Music transcends sound. This is something Beethoven knew well. When he lost his own hearing, he cut the legs off of his piano so that he could feel the vibrations of the music on the floor.
Movement and language are additional portals to music. ASL is an expressive visual language filled with nuance, movement, and poetry that brings music to life in new ways. By combining Beethoven’s dynamic score with the expressive power of ASL, DWT is able to give Deaf audiences an entry into the world of opera, many for the first time.
Deaf West is beyond excited to share this encore collaboration with LA Phil, where it has been able to create an experience that brings new facets of music to both Deaf and hearing audiences and then bring it to an even larger audience on its European tour to Paris, Barcelona, and London.
To explore more about Deaf West and join its mission to enrich lives and foster understanding through innovative arts experiences, or to discover how you can support its work, whether by attending a performance, by volunteering, or by making a donation, please visit deafwest.org to learn more and get involved.
DWT BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Ed Waterstreet, President
Mark Freund, Vice President
Beverly Nero, Secretary
Christopher Sepulveda, Treasurer
Steve Baldwin
MJ Bienvenu
PJ Mattiacci
Matt Randall
Patricia Shawn
Branton Stewart
Shue Her-Sturm
Ann Wareham
DWT STAFF
DJ Kurs, Artistic Director
Jeff Perri, Managing Director
Jason Zammit, Marketing Director
Beverly Nero, Development
Bennett Samson, Grant Manager
Amy Mincher, Bookkeeper
Deaf West’s collaborative involvement on Fidelio was made possible through the generous support of its partners the Lloyd E. Rigler–Lawrence E. Deutsch Foundation, The Shubert Foundation, Friars Charitable Foundation, California Community Foundation, Ford Foundation, Perenchio Foundation, the Harold and Mimi Steinberg Charitable Trust, Shay Foundation, and The Green Foundation, as well as DWT’s 2024 season sponsors, the National Endowment for the Arts, the Los Angeles County Arts Commission, and the Department of Cultural Affairs of the City of Los Angeles.