LOC "Hercules" Production Claimed Success For Sellars

Alice Coote, David Daniels and Eric Owens

"This isn't just a brilliant conclusion to the season. The new production of Handel's Hercules at Lyric Opera of Chicago goes well beyond that. It could be an important springboard for a renewed civic and, indeed, national conversation about issues concerning America's war veterans, issues many people would just as soon sweep under a rug. What happens to these soldiers when they return home, bringing their post-traumatic stress with them? Having turned off their emotions for combat, how do they turn them back on with the family and friends they left behind? The answer, in director Peter Sellars' thoughtful and enthralling new production, which opened Friday night at the Civic Opera House, is they don't." [Source]

 "The cast is exceptional, with debutante English soprano Lucy Crowe breaking out astonishingly in a chilling Abu Ghraib costume and English mezzo Alice Coote making Dejanira dramatically complete. American tenor Richard Croft is a steadfast and dutiful Hyllus. Countertenor David Daniels was born for this music and his Lichas grabs your heart. And American bass-baritone Eric Owens speaks to you even in his silences — Handel gave his title character the least amount of music — and shakes you when he sings." [Source]

Read more about the production here. One more review out from the L.A. Times and can be found here.