Richard III: Prelude

The concert begins at the source of English theater. Shakespeare’s tragedies present larger-than-life characters whose tragic fates have inspired countless adaptations. Among the most notable is Laurence Olivier’s trilogy: Henry V (1944), Hamlet (1948), and Richard III (1955). Composer William Walton gave these three films an epic dimension rarely equaled, clearly evident in the “Prelude” from Richard III, the  conspirator who seeks to seize the throne. From the very first notes, Walton transports us to the Elizabethan era with resounding fanfares and marches. We can easily recognize the nobility and patriotic fervor characteristic of English music.