What Next? is a surrealist opera in one act composed by William Walton, with a libretto by Gerald Tyrwhitt (Lord Berners). Composed between 1931 and 1932, it premiered in 1932 at the Savoy Theatre in London as part of a production by the Oxford University Opera Club.
The opera is noted for its nonsensical and fragmented libretto, reflecting the post-World War I disillusionment and the influence of Gertrude Stein's literary style. The plot, such as it is, concerns the aftermath of a car accident. The characters, identified only by numbers and letters (e.g., "Rose," "Ambrose," "No. 1," "No. 2"), are confused, disoriented, and attempt to reconstruct the events leading to the crash. Their dialogue is disjointed and often repetitive, creating a dreamlike and unsettling atmosphere.
Musically, What Next? is characterized by its atonality, complex rhythms, and use of jazz idioms. Walton's score is intricate and demanding, reflecting the fragmented nature of the libretto and the psychological state of the characters.
Despite its initial mixed reception, What Next? is now considered a significant work in the history of British opera, representing a departure from traditional operatic conventions and a foray into modernist aesthetics. Its exploration of trauma, memory, and the breakdown of communication resonates with contemporary audiences. The opera's brevity and relatively small cast make it a suitable choice for smaller opera companies and university productions.