New Production & Lyric Premiere Les Troyens (The Trojans)

The drama of the Trojan War, replete with heroes and tragedy, has captivated audiences from literature to film, and nowhere does it come to life more vividly than in French opera’s most astounding work, Les Troyens. Grand and glorious in its musical and dramatic breadth, this operatic retelling of Virgil’s Aeneid is rarely performed because of its enormous scale. Experience the tidal wave of sound from Lyric’s massive chorus and orchestra and the exciting ballet as this theatrical tour de force unfolds with a powerhouse cast. Sir Andrew Davis conducts this much-anticipated Lyric premiere that will draw opera lovers from all over the world!

Language: Performed in French with projected English translations
Running Time: 4 hours 40 minutes including 2 intermissions
Location: Lyric Opera House

Les Troyens (The Trojans) videos

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See what critics are saying about Les Troyens at Lyric Opera

Grand and glorious in its musical and dramatic breadth, this operatic retelling of Virgil’s Aeneid is rarely performed because of its enormous scale.

Director Tim Albery on the design of The Trojans

The Trojans director, Tim Albery, gives you some insight into the spectacular set design of Lyric's new production of Berlioz's Les Troyens.

Soprano Christine Goerke on what she loves about The Trojans

The Trojans soprano, Christine Goerke, gives you some insight into what she enjoys most about performing in Lyric's new production of Berlioz's Les Troyens.

Designer Tobias Hoheisel on what makes The Trojans extraordinary

Les Troyens

by Hector Berlioz

Recording by EMI – Crespin, Chauvet, cond. Prêtre.
Musical excerpts provided through generous arrangement with Warner Classics, Official Education and Promotion Music Provider for Lyric Opera of Chicago.

“Mahlheureux roi!"

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"Inutiles regrets!"

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Les Troyens

by Hector Berlioz

Lyric Opera Commentaries are sponsored by the Patrick G. and Shirley W. Ryan Foundation in memory of their parents.

© 2016/17 Lyric Opera Commentaries
Musical excerpts provided through generous arrangement with Warner Classics, Official Education and Promotion Music Provider for Lyric Opera of Chicago. All rights reserved. Recording & Production services provided by Mark Travis.
A project of the Women's Board.

Commentary by Anthony Freud and Nicholas Ivor Martin

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Les Troyens Articles

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Les Troyens by the Numbers

A timeless tale of conflict set to gorgeous French-romantic music by 19th-century composer Hector Berlioz, Les Troyens requires massive forces and resources to stage.

Synopsis

Part 1: The Taking of Troy
The city of Troy after ten years of siege.
The Greeks’ siege of Troy seems to have ended after ten years when they leave an enormous wooden horse, apparently as a parting gift, but the Trojan princess Cassandra prophecies disaster. She is proven correct: Greek soldiers emerge from the horse and wreak catastrophe on what remains of the city. The women of Troy join Cassandra in committing suicide rather than submit to the Greeks. The hero Aeneas escapes, ready to fulfill his destiny by founding a new Troy in Italy.

Part 2: The Trojans at Carthage
The newly built city of Carthage.
Aeneas and his men lead Carthage’s army to victory in battle. Queen Dido of Carthage and Aeneas fall in love, but their idyll ends when the hero realizes that fate is too strong: he must leave for Italy. The despairing Dido mounts a funeral pyre and, after proclaiming the coming of a Carthaginian general (Hannibal) who will avenge her, she stabs herself with Aeneas’s sword. She dies envisioning Carthage’s eventual destruction at the hands of Rome, as her people curse Aeneas and his descendants.

The Trojans are ecstatic to discover that the Greeks have apparently abandoned the siege of their city and sailed away. A huge wooden horse has been left outside the city gates, and everyone assumes this is an offering the Greek army has made to Pallas Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom.

Cassandra, daughter of Troy’s king, Priam, is beset by visions of destruction threatening Troy, and laments that her father and the people will not listen to her warnings. Cassandra’s betrothed, Chorebus, cannot convince her to join in the people’s celebrations. Instead she begs him to leave Troy before disaster strikes, but he refuses.

King Priam and Queen Hecuba lead the people in thanking the gods for the departure of the Greeks. Everyone is shocked at the despair of Andromache, the grieving widow of the fallen hero Hector. Then Aeneas, a Trojan warrior, brings awful news: the priest, Laocoön, believing the wooden horse was some kind of trick, pierced it with his spear and urged the Trojans to burn it, but moments later two sea serpents devoured him. Thinking that the serpents are a sign of Pallas Athena’s anger at Troy’s rejection of her gift, Aeneas leads the people to bring the horse into the city, despite Cassandra’s terrified feelings of foreboding.
That night the ghost of Hector comes to Aeneas. He tells him that Greek soldiers have poured out of the wooden horse to take the city, that Troy is burning, and that Aeneas must escape to found a new city in Italy.

Cassandra convinces the terrified Trojan women that they must commit suicide, rather than be defiled and enslaved by the Greeks. When enemy soldiers appear, Cassandra and her companions kill themselves, consoled by the knowledge that Aeneas has escaped and that he will build a new Troy.
The people of Carthage proclaim their devotion to Dido, their queen. She thanks them for their achievements in building a new city, while warning them that they face new threats from the neighboring King Iarbas, who is trying to force her into marriage. Anna, Dido’s sister, urges the reluctant queen, a widow, to fall in love again and provide Carthage with the king it needs.

A group of foreigners come to seek refuge in Carthage, just as King Iarbas begins his threatened invasion of Carthage. The foreigners’ leader reveals that he is Aeneas, and offers to help Dido defend her city. Leaving Ascanius, his son, in her care, he and his men go into battle alongside the Carthaginians.
Having defeated Iarbas’s army, Aeneas has remained in Carthage. He and Dido have fallen in love.

Anna dismisses the fears of Narbal, Dido’s chief adviser, who sees the queen giving herself up to pleasure and ignoring her duties, and who is well aware that Aeneas is destined to leave for Italy. Anna however is certain the lovers will marry and rule Carthage together

Anna has arranged an entertainment to delight the lovers, but Dido is restless and nothing pleases her. She asks Aeneas to finish telling the story of Troy’s last days. He tells her how Andromache, Hector’s widow, finally agreed to marry the Greek prince who captured her at the fall of Troy. Dido feels that Andromache’s example releases her from her vow to stay faithful to the memory of her dead husband. Left alone under the night sky, Dido and Aeneas rejoice in their love.
Hylas, a young Trojan sailor, longs for his homeland, but most of the Trojans are impatient to set sail for Italy.

Aeneas has told Dido he must leave, but, still passionately in love, he dreads the final farewell. He is visited by the ghosts of Cassandra, Chorebus, Hector, and Priam, who order him to depart at once to found the new Trojan state.

Dido is enraged and in despair at the reality of Aeneas’ leaving. When he begs her to understand that although he loves her, he has no choice but to obey the gods, she curses him.

Once Aeneas has gone, Dido orders a pyre built in order to burn the gifts she and Aeneas have shared since his arrival in Carthage. Left alone, Dido prepares for death and bids farewell to her city.

The pyre is ready to be burned. In her despair, the queen prophesies the coming of a general from Carthage, Hannibal, who will one day take her revenge on Rome and Aeneas. Then, to everyone’s horror, she stabs herself. Envisioning Carthage destroyed by Rome, she dies crying “Rome…Rome… eternal,” as her people curse Aeneas and his descendants.

Program book

Go inside this production of Les Troyens with engaging articles, notes from the director, a complete plot synopsis, artist bios, and more.

View Digital Program Book

Meet the artists

Christine Goerke

Cassandre

American soprano Christine Goerke's Lyric credits include Brunhilde/Siegfried (2018|19) and Die Walkure (2017|18). Her many awards include the Richard Tucker Award, the Musical America Vocalist of the Year Award, and the Opera News Award.

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Susan Graham

Didon

Renowned American mezzo-soprano Susan Graham has sung nine roles at Lyric Opera since 1989/90.

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Brandon Jovanovich

Énée

Brandon Jovanovich is a renowned American tenor who has performed many roles at Lyric Opera or Chicago.

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Lucas Meachem

Chorèbe

American baritone Lucas Meachem sung The Queen of Spades, and Don Giovanni (2019|20) at Lyric Opera

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Christian Van Horn

Narbal

Ryan Opera Center alumni

The American bass-baritone, a Ryan Opera Center alumnus and winner of the 2018 Richard Tucker Award has appeared in many roles on Lyric's stage.

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Okka von der Damerau

Anna

German soprano Okka von der Damerau's Lyric credits include Anna/Les Troyens (2016|17) and Erda/Das Rheingold (2016|17).

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Sir Andrew Davis

Conductor

Sir Andrew Davis served as music director and principal conductor of Lyric Opera of Chicago from 2000 through the 2020/21 Season.

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Tim Albery

Director

English director Tim Albery's Lyric credits include Les Troyens (2016|17) and Tannhäuser (2014|15)

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Tobias Hoheisel

Designer

Set and Costume Designer Tobias Hoheisel's Lyric credits include five productions since 1996|97.

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David Finn

Lighting Designer

Since 1997 the renowned designer has worked increasingly in opera.

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Michael Black

Chorus Master

Michael Black has served Lyric Opera of Chicago since the 2013/14 Season.

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Helen Pickett

Choreographer

The California-born choreographer has created more than 30 ballets, most recently Eventide (Boston Ballet), Games (Ballet West), and Camino Real (Atlanta Ballet, where she is resident choreographer). She has been commissioned for future world premieres for the Pennsylvania Ballet, Scottish Ballet, and the London-based group, Sisters Grimm.

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