The vocal score to “Les  Troyens ” presents the text Berlioz conceived as a great five act opera. During the composition of this work between 1856 and 1858 and up until June  1863, Berlioz perceived “Les  Troyens ” as one opera. Because  of performance difficulties,  the composition had to be divided into two operas, “La  Prise  de  Troie ” and  “Les  Toyens  à  Carthage ”.<br>
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 Berlioz began to write the libretto in Paris in April 1856 and completed it on June 26th of that same year. The dramatic material of acts III-V is taken from books 1 and 4 of Virgil's “ Aeneid ”.<br>
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 The two trojan acts are loosely based on books 1 and 2 by Virgil.<br>
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 Berlioz wrote in May 1861: “I am sure that I have created a great work, greater and superior to anything I have ever written before”.<br>
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 The vocal score is based on the three-volume New Berlioz Edition and also on the one-volume vocal score edition that under Berlioz’s supervision, was privately printed in 1861-62 and then distributed. The appendix contains two complete scenes:  The  Sinon  scene from the first act and the original  finale from the fifth act.<br>