+++
author = ["authors/jenna.md"]
categories = "Interview"
date = "2015-04-24T09:34:00-04:00"
lastmod = "2015-04-27T12:50:00-04:00"
primary_image = "https://res.cloudinary.com/schmopera/image/upload/v1545409169/media/webhook-uploads/1429882292309/SellarsHeadshot-764x1024.jpg.jpg"
publishDate = "2014-04-03T09:34:00-04:00"
related_articles = ["articles/in-review-hercules.md","articles/daniel-belcher-returns-to-the-long-walk.md"]
related_companies = ["scene/companies/canadian-opera-company.md"]
short_description = "Hercules opens on April 5th, at the Canadian Opera Company, and it features a spectacular cast: Eric Owens (Hercules), Alice Coote (Dejanira) and David Daniels (Lichas) headline this special production. Go and see it."
slug = "peter-sellars-all-my-subtitles-were-understatements"
title = "Peter Sellars: all my subtitles were understatements"

youtube_url ="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FcZ-AWpGJ-k&"
+++

_Hercules_ opens on April 5th, at the [Canadian Opera Company](http://www.coc.ca/Home.aspx), and it features a spectacular cast: [Eric Owens](http://imgartists.com/artist/eric_owens) (Hercules), [Alice Coote](http://imgartists.com/artist/alice_coote) (Dejanira) and [David Daniels](http://www.danielssings.com/) (Lichas) headline this special production. Go and see it. For ticket information, click [here](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1314Season/Hercules.aspx).

This past weekend, the incomparable [Peter Sellars](http://www.theglobeandmail.com/arts/music/with-hercules-peter-sellars-rethinks-the-art-of-war-on-the-stage-of-the-coc/article17717793/) gave a talk to a group of young opera fans as part of the [Canadian Opera Company's Youth Opera Lab](http://www.coc.ca/ExploreAndLearn/YoungAdults/YouthOperaLab.aspx). He walked into the Richard Bradshaw Amphitheatre, and established _no rules_ by avoiding his neatly placed chair and parking himself amongst his captive audience. (I had a pretty sweet shot lined up, I promise you all.)
You could hear a pin drop as Sellars spoke about his [production of _Hercules_](http://www.coc.ca/PerformancesAndTickets/1314Season/Hercules.aspx), his understanding of Handel's life, and about why the relevance of opera is so staggeringly obvious. _Hercules_ is a story about a soldier who returns home after war, and Handel knew that story included the soldier's family. Peter Sellars is truly a master of answering the crucial question: why do we have art? Why do we need it?

In what had to be the most difficult editing job yet, here are a few moments of clarity from Peter.

