Les Troyens
Berlioz's epic opera "Les Troyens" was never performed complete during his lifetime. In an attempt to have the opera staged by the Théâtre Lyrique in 1863, he split it into two parts, with acts 1 and 2 becoming "La prise de Troie" ("The Capture of Troy") and acts 3–5 "Les Troyens à Carthage" ("The Trojans at Carthage"). Only the latter was accepted and Berlioz wrote an orchestral prologue to introduce this version evoking the tragic fate of Troy.