Ode to Joy is a new work by renowned performance artist Amanda Coogan, in collaboration with Deaf artist Lianne Quigley and the Latvian Association of the Deaf. The Ode to Joy is an embodied performance which translates Ludwig van Beethoven’s Ode to Joy chorus into Sign Language (SL) and reinterprets this famous symphony through the lens of the Deaf experience. Using SL as a choreographic language, Coogan, Quigley and the Latvian Association of the Deaf reinterpret this revolutionary symphony. We claim Beethoven as a deaf artist and re-frame the experiences of the oppressed, claiming equality and celebrating Deaf people, their culture and our beloved Sign Language.ABOUT ARTISTSPerformance artist Amanda Coogan is known for her highly visual and physical works presented through durational performances within gallery spaces as live exhibitions. Born to Deaf parents, sign language was her first language and it has continued to have a profound influence on her practice. Lianne Quigley is a Deaf artist with a burgeoning solo career. She is the artistic director of the Dublin Theatre of the Deaf. The Latvian Association of the Deaf is a social organisation of the Deaf and advocates and supports Latvian sign language.
CAST
Artists: Amanda Coogan and Lianne Quigley
Developed with: Alvean Jones and the Dublin Theatre of the Deaf supported by the Arts Council of Ireland
Performed in collaboration with: the Latvian Association of the Deaf
Producer: Ieva Briede
The accompanying music is a performance of Symphony No. 9 by the National Symphony Orchestra conducted by David Brophy, with a specially-formed choir and Irish and European soloists for the EU50 Gala Concert. This recording is courtesy of the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs.