Victory Hall Opera Presents BREAKING THE SOUND BARRIER A Deaf Opera Workshop

Victory Hall Opera, in conjunction with UVA's Disability Studies Symposium, will present a one-of-a-kind exploration of Deaf Opera: "Breaking The Sound Barrier: Deaf Opera Workshop," featuring scenes from Poulenc's Dialogues of the Carmelites. The performance will take place in Charlottesville at Old Cabell Hall on the campus of The University of Virginia on February 27th at 7pm. Admission is free.

A convent must assimilate or be condemned. VHO invites some of America's foremost Deaf actors to UVA's Disability Studies Symposium for a once-in-a-lifetime collaboration. In this free, public workshop, singers and actors will push the boundaries of stagecraft in a radical reinterpretation of Poulenc's powerful opera, explored through a Deaf lens.

Over the course of 3 days preceding the public performance, three Deaf actors will work with three hearing opera singers to explore new ways of storytelling. What is opera without sound? Is there a unique performing style to opera that can transcend the sound itself? How can we heighten the visual elements of opera to express its essence?

On Feb 27th at Old Cabell Hall, as the opening event for UVA's Biennial Disability Studies Symposium, our audience will experience the results of this workshop, (including a special appearance of members of the USingers student chorus), and have the opportunity to ask questions of the performers and creative team.

Performed in English and ASL with English supertitles. Starring Jackie Roth, Amber Zion, Sandra Mae Frank, Rachelle Durkin, Miriam Gordon-Stewart, Jennifer Zetlan, Ji Yung Lee (piano) and members of UVA's USingers chorus.

Conducted by Kathleen Kelly. (Chorusmaster Michael Slon). Directed by Alek Lev with Jules Dameron (Translation/ ASL Master).

To post a comment, you must register and login.