FRANCIS POULENC 1875-1937 La voix humaine Denise Duval soprano Orchestre du Th��tre National de l'Op�ra-Comique Georges Pr�tre conductor JEAN COCTEAU 1889-1963 Le bel indiff�rent* �dith Piaf narrator STEREO/*MONO � RECORDED IN 1959 & *1955 Denise Duval was Francis Poulenc's muse, the soprano for whom he composed the roles of Blanche in Dialogues des Carm�lites, Th�r�se in Les Mamelles de Tir�sias and "Elle" in La Voix humaine - the nameless Parisienne who, in Jean Cocteau's skillfully crafted libretto, engages in a tortuous, one-sided telephone conversation with her lover. This compelling solo opera is paired here with a Cocteau monodrama for spoken voice, Le bel indiff�rent. It stars Edith Piaf, best known, of course, as France's emblematic popular singer. Georges Pretre is the most prominent Frenchconductor of his generation. He is celbrated as a conductor of opera and orchestral music. A former music director of the Paris Opera, he has conducted the major orchestras of Europe and the US.