look ahead to their own deaths: Achilles to be killed by Paris, and Priam to be killed by Neoptolemus, Achilles' son. Troy is in ruins. Priam refuses to leave his city, and one by one his family leaves him. His last farewell is with Helen, to whom he speaks gently. There is a moment of stillness before Achilles' son appears to strike the killing blow and Hermes, the drama over, departs for Olympus. Recordings 1980: Norman Bailey (Priam), Heather Harper (Hecuba), Thomas Allen (Hector), Felicity Palmer (Andromache), Philip Langridge (Paris), Yvonne Minton (Helen), Robert Tear (Achilles), Stephen Roberts, Ann Murray, David Wilson-Johnson, Peter Hall, Kenneth Bowen, recorded by Decca Records (LDR 73006), with the London Sinfonietta conducted by David Atherton. The recording won the Gramophone magazine's award for contemporary music recordings that year and was re-released on compact disc by Chandos (CHAN 9406/7) in 1995. 1985: Rodney Macann (Priam), Janet Price (Hecuba), Omar Ebrahim (Hector), Sarah Walker (Andromache), Howard Haskin (Paris), Anne Mason (Helen), and Neil Jenkins (Achilles), with Kent Opera production directed by Nicholas Hytner conducted by Roger Norrington. Directed for Channel 4 by Robert Lough; released on VHS by Virgin Classics in 1990 and the Kultur label in 1997, and on DVD by Arthaus Musik in 2007. References External links Meiron Bowen, "Michael Tippett's King Priam: Genesis, Achievement and Interpretation" on meirion-bowen.com English-language operas 1962 operas Operas by Michael Tippett Operas Priam Works based on the Iliad Operas based on works by Homer