Placido Domingo Sounds Off for the Hearing Impaired
Opera King spearheads haering program in developing countries
Dec. 1, 2006 — -- This week Placido Domingo is teaming up with the Vienna Philharmonic Orchestra.
But the man who has been called "the king of opera" and "the greatest operatic artist of modern times" is not singing or conducting with the renowned orchestra.
The 65-year-old Maestro is joining forces for another one of his favorite things -- lending a hand to young people.
Domingo and the philharmonic will join the Swiss hearing-device manufacturer Phonak to establish a not-for-profit foundation to help the hearing impaired, particularly young people in developing countries, and give them the opportunity to enjoy the sounds around them.
"It could be just the sound of water in a river, just the crying of a child, the laughing of a child, the voice of people we love. … Not to be able to listen is a problem," Domingo said. "If we can help, I am ready to go out of my way to … speak loud with my voice."
The Hear the World Foundation, based in Zurich, Switzerland, will begin operations in January with an initial budget of about $400,000.
It will focus on both education and delivering the latest in hearing-aid technologies to those in need.
Hearing aids will be delivered to poor children in the Central American jungle; hearing-challenged teens in sub-Saharan Africa will be able to attend class with children who hear; and youngsters in remote parts of East Asia will be tested for the first time.
On "Exclusiva," ABC News Now's Hispanic news program, Domingo discussed his passion for young people, in particular getting a new generation of opera artists on stage and a younger audience to watch them.
The Washington National Opera, which Domingo directs, is even reaching out to young people by releasing a YouTube video of its October Welcome to Opera concert.
It was posted on YouTube, Google Video and Yahoo Video. (http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=2640666727037486162&q=%22welcome+to+opera%22)
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