Troilus and Cressida

An Opera in Three Acts

General Information – Performing Forces – Manuscript – Publication – Arrangements – Recordings

General Information: 

Composition:  1947–54. Revised extensively in 1963, and again in 1972–6. The 1976 revision, although it tightened the dramatic progress, also altered Cressida's role from soprano to mezzo-soprano. In the 1990s, after the composer's death, the Walton Trust authorized a new version which incorporates the 1976 revisions, but restores the lead role to soprano. This 1995 version, edited by Stuart Hutchinson, is the version generally preferred today.

First Performances:

Original 1954 Version:  3 December 1954. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Magda Laszlς, Cressida; Richard Lewis, Troilus; Peter Pears, Pandarus; Otakar Kraus, Diomede; Monica Sinclair, Evadne; Frederick Dalberg, Calkas. Covent Garden Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Malcolm Sargent conductor.

1963 Version:  23 April 1963. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Marie Collier, Cressida; Andre Turp, Troilus; John Lanigan, Pandarus; Otakar Kraus, Diomede; Josephine Veasey, Evadne; Forbes Robinson, Calkas. Covent Garden Opera Orchestra and Chorus, Sir Malcolm Sargent conductor.

1976 Verison:  12 November 1976. Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, London. Janet Baker, Cressida; Richard Cassilly, Troilus; Gerald English, Pandarus; Benjamin Luxon, Diomede; Elizabeth Bainbridge, Evadne; Richard Van Allan, Calkas. Chorus and Orchestra of the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden, Lawrence Foster conductor.

1995 Version:  14 January 1995. Leeds. Opera North. Judith Howarth, Cressida; Arthur Davies, Troilus; Nigel Robson, Pandarus; Alan Opie, Diomede; Yvonne Howard, Evadne; Clive Bayley, Calkas. Chorus of Opera North, English Northern Philharmonia, Richard Hickox conductor.

Duration:  About 135 minutes, excluding two intervals

Libretto:  Christopher Hassall (1912–63)

Dedication:  "To my Wife"

C. Number:  C62

Performing Forces:

Cast:

* The role of Cressida called for a dramatic soprano in the original version. In the 1976 version, Walton reworked the part for mezzo-soprano. Stuart Hutchinson's 1995 version restores the role to soprano, while maintaining Walton's 1976 cuts.

Orchestral Instrumentation:

3 flutes, 2 oboes, English horn, 2 clarinets, bass clarinet, 2 bassoons, contrabassoon – 4 horns, 3 trumpets, 3 trombones, tuba – timpani, 4 percussion (side drum, tenor drum, triangle, tambourine, rattle, castanets, cymbals, gong, slapsticks, bass drum, glockenspiel, xylophone, vibraphone, bells) – 2 harps – celesta – strings

Off-stage Instruments:

Horn, 4 trumpets – 2 percussion (tenor drum, side drum)

Manuscript:

Frederick R. Koch Collection. Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University. Manuscript FRKF 580. Autograph full score. Also includes 44 pages of revisions, transpositions, and other changes, in full and vocal score, some in photocopy, some printed. Act 1: 182 pages. Act 2: 171 pages, Act 3: 166 pages.

Publication:

Oxford University Press, 1980 and 2003. Score, parts, and vocal score are available on hire. Materials available for purchase:

Arrangements:

• Put off the serpent girdle, partsong for women's voices (1949–50, rev. 1967)
  This song was originally part of Act 2, and published separately in 1967. The composer cut this song from the opera in the 1976 revision.
  
  
• Three Arias from Troilus and Cressida, for soprano and orchestra (1961)
  
  
• Troilus and Cressida: Symphonic Suite, arranged by Christopher Palmer (c.1988)

Recordings:

Recordings of the Complete Opera:

Recordings of Selections Only:

For additional recordings of this music, see the following arrangement:

• Troilus and Cressida: Symphonic Suite, arranged by Christopher Palmer (c.1988)

WilliamWalton.net – Catalogue of Works – Opera