Lyric Opera of Chicago offers SoundShirt as a way for deaf or hearing impaired operagoers to enjoy the live performance of opera. The shirts vibrate in sync with the sound on stage and in the orchestra pit. Those wishing to try a SoundShirt buy a ticket to the opera and borrow the device for the performance, no extra charge. Only a very limited number (about 20) SoundShirts are available for one select performance of each opera in Lyric’s season. Users and their non-shirt wearing companion (if any) would be seated in one section in the front right of the house.
Obviously this is a pilot program for Lyric that they could expand or end in future seasons depending how it goes.