Bradley Cooper lent his support to an inspiring night celebrating the intersection of deafness and music.
The Maestro actor and director attended the U.S. premiere of El Canto de las Manos (Song of Hands) at David Geffen Hall in New York City on Thursday (November 7). The event was presented by the New York Philharmonic, in partnership with Rolex.
Bradley moderated a post-screening discussion that was attended by Gustavo Dudamel (Music & Artistic Director of the Los Angeles Philharmonic, Walt and Lilly Disney Chair), María Valverde (who directed the film), DJ Kurs (Artistic Director of Deaf West Theatre), Melissa S. Draganac-Hawk (head of the Pennsylvania School for the Deaf), and Matías Tarnopolsky (New York Philharmonic president and CEO).
During the evening, Gustavo conducted student musicians and vocalists from The Juilliard School, along with actors from Deaf West Theatre, in a moving selection from Beethoven’s Fidelio.
Directed by María, El Canto de las Manos explores deafness through music, following three deaf musicians from Venezuela — Jennifer, Gabriel, and José — as they stage Fidelio in sign language for the first time under Gustavo’s baton. The documentary sheds light on the performers’ personal journeys, their experiences with isolation and discrimination, and the transformative power of music as both refuge and expression.
“Music is not only the inspiration and driving force in the lives of these brilliant Deaf artists, but also their refuge and salvation,” María has shared. “This is a story of justice — of how art transcends the visible and transforms its protagonists into guides who illuminate a new way of experiencing music, one that comes from a deeper level of awareness; a declaration of
freedom and dignity.”
Source: justjared.com
