Troilus and Cressida (opera) take her away, she pledges her loyalty one last time to Troilus, and stabs herself. Notes Sources Troilus and Cressida (opera) Troilus and Cressida is the first of the two operas by William Walton, and debuted in 1954. The libretto was by Christopher Hassall, his own first opera libretto, based on Geoffrey Chaucer's poem "Troilus and Criseyde". Walton dedicated the score to his wife, Susana. The genesis of the opera dated back to the mid-1940s, after the success of Benjamin Britten's first great operatic success, "Peter Grimes". Walton intended to counter this work with an opera of his own, and
English National Opera Sadler's Wells with a revival of the work with which it had re-opened the theatre in 1945, "Peter Grimes". Its last performance at the Rosebery Avenue theatre was on 15 June 1968. The company, retaining the title "Sadler's Wells Opera", opened at the Coliseum on 21 August 1968, with a new production of Mozart's "Don Giovanni", directed by Sir John Gielgud. Though this production was not well received, the company rapidly established itself with a succession of highly praised productions of other works. Arlen died in January 1972, and was succeeded as managing director by Lord Harewood. The success of