King Lear is a tragedy by William Shakespeare. Lear descends into madness bringing tragic consequences for all. Based on a mythological pre-Roman Celtic king, the play has been widely adapted for the stage and motion pictures, with the title role coveted by many of the world's most accomplished actors. Its first known performance was in 1607, George Bernard Shaw wrote, "No man will ever write a better tragedy than Lear".
Originally orchestrated for 2 flutes, 4 horns, 3 trumpets, timpani, side drum, 2 harps, and strings, Debussy wrote five minutes of incidental music for a production of King Lear, produced at the Theatre Mogador Paris in 1904.
