Poulenc's lyrical tragedy La Voix Humaine is described as an anti-love duet, but in fact there is no duet at all. We only hear one voice, that of the woman. She is on the phone with her ex-lover, whose words we can only guess. The woman's heart is broken. It is unstable and falls from one emotion to another. She desperately seeks contact, but in vain. That goes on for about 45 minutes. No wonder
… the work attracts female singers known for their acting skills. Denise Duval created the role and there are recordings of it with Julia Migenes and Magda Olivero. Here the difficult role is sung by Felicity Lott, supported by the Orchester De La Suisse Romande conducted by Armin Jordan. The CD also contains the cantata La Dame De Monte-Carlo for soprano and orchestra. Jean Cocteau wrote the lyrics for both works. (CP) _more
