January 7, 2024

20,000 vinyl LPs 350: Francis Poulenc ~ La Voix Humaine & Denise Duval

 ~   
vinyl LP front cover
 cover illustration by Jean Cocteau
photo of album cover by Styrous®


Today is the birthday of French composer and pianist, Francis Poulenc who was born on January 7, 1899, in the 8th arrondissement of Paris. His compositions include songs (this album fits into this category), solo piano works, chamber music, choral pieces, operas, ballets, and orchestral concert music.       
 
La voix humaine (English: The Human Voice) is a forty-minute, one-act opera for soprano and orchestra composed by Francis Poulenc in 1958. It premiered on the 6th of February in 1959 at the Opéra Comique in Paris.        
          
The work is based on the play of the same name by Jean Cocteau, who, along with French soprano Denise Duval, worked closely with Poulenc in preparation for the opera's premiere. Poulenc's tragédie lyrique was first performed at the Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique with Duval as the solo singer and Georges Prêtre conducting (both perform in this recording); the scenery, costumes and direction were by Cocteau.     

The libretto consists of a woman's last phone conversation with her lover, who now loves someone else. During the call, the woman reveals that she has attempted suicide because her lover has abandoned her.       
 
performance of La voix humaine
date & photographer unknown



 
This recording should rightly only go in the "Just the cover" category (link below) but it's too good to confine it to that. The reasoning is: it is a brilliant work by Poulenc, a work of genius, revealing naked emotions rarely exhibited on the stage with such realism; it is an integral part of the art of Denise Duval that showcases her acting as well as her vocal prowess; and it is an amazing operatic voyage into the mind of a woman as she grapples with grief, denial, and anger in the face of unrequited love, all shared through a one-sided telephone call.                 


         


La voix humaine ~ album: 
 
Each Soria Series album came in a thick, heavy-duty textured sleeve (some with an elegant cut-out on the reverse for pulling the disc out), golden embossed type, and glossy full-color reproduction overlaid. Double and triple boxsets had sliding tops and decorated spines.     
 
 
vinyl LP front cover
 cover illustration by Jean Cocteau
photo of album cover by Styrous®




 
vinyl LP front cover details
 cover illustration by Jean Cocteau
detail photos of album cover by Styrous®









 Francis Poulenc  ~ La voix humaine
vinyl LP back cover detail of linen fabric
detail photo by Styrous®






 Francis Poulenc  ~ La voix humaine
linen covered vinyl LP records box
photo by Styrous®



 
 Francis Poulenc  ~ La voix humaine
linen covered vinyl LP records box cut-out detail
detail photo by Styrous®




 
 
 
 
 
All details, including the tracklist, were in booklets, designed and printed at the world's most expensive and prestigious publishing houses, such as Amilcare Pizzi S.p.A. in Italy and Skira Color Studios in Switzerland. They came with comprehensive essays (about composers, genres, or period instruments), definitive and eloquent libretto translations, lavish "tipped-in" colored reproductions, etc.             
 


 
  Illustration By Jean Cocteau
 
  
 
 
 
 
  Illustration By Jean Cocteau
 
 




 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 photo by Gaby Morlay
 
 

 
 
 
 photo by Fred Plaut
 
 

 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
  Illustrations By Jean Cocteau
 
 
 
  Illustrations By Jean Cocteau
 

 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
photos from the Paris premiere by Boris Lipnitzki 
 
 

 
 
 

 
 
 

 

 
 photos from the Paris premiere by Boris Lipnitzki

 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 


 photo by Jean-Pierre Leloir
 
 
 

 
 

 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 

 Illustration By Jean Cocteau
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
photo by Fred Plaut
 
 
 

photo by Claude Morel
 
 
 
photo by Erio Piccagliani
 
 
 

photo: Studio Harcourt 
 
 
 

 
  Illustrations By Jean Cocteau





 




Tracklist:
       
Side 1:
        
A - La Voix Humaine
       
Side 2:
       
B - La Voix Humaine
       
Companies, etc.
       
    Recorded By – Ricordi Studios
    Copyright © – Société Anonyme des Éditions Ricordi
       
Credits:
       
    Conductor – Georges Prêtre
    Design, Booklet Editor – Philip Sykes
    Illustration, Text By – Jean Cocteau
    Liner Notes – Janet Flanner
    Liner Notes, Other [Essay] – Henri Hell
    Music By, Liner Notes – Francis Poulenc
    Orchestra – Théâtre National de L'Opéra-Comique*
    Photography – Boris Lipnitzki, Claude Morel, Erio Piccagliani, Fred Plaut, Gaby Morlay, Jean-Pierre Leloir, Studio Harcourt
    Recorded By – "Ricordi"
    Soprano Vocals – Denise Duval
    Translated By – Joseph Machlis
       
Notes:
       
Original 1960 "Soria Series" RCA Living Stereo LP with shaded dog label.
First issue of this cat # in a slipcase.
Recorded in France by Ricordi under the personal supervision of the composer.
Made in U.S.A.

Lyric Tragedy in One Act. Set includes a 21 page booklet, and comes housed in a light blue linen & Davey board slipcase.
       
Barcode and Other Identifiers
        
    Matrix / Runout (Stamped side A): K2 RY4611-1S I A1
    Matrix / Runout (Stamped side A): K2 RY4612-1S I A1

Denise Duval, Georges Prêtre Conducting Orchestre du Théâtre National de l'Opéra-Comique – Francis Poulenc: La Voix Humaine
Label: RCA Victor Red Seal – LS 2385
Series: Living Stereo, Soria Series
Format:    Vinyl, LP, Stereo
Box Set, Slipcase
Country: US
Released: 1960
Genre: Classical
Style: Modern

         
Viewfinder links:        
         
“Just the cover, ma’am!”             
Jean Cocteau        
Denise Duval                
Francis Poulenc         
RCA Soria Series           
        
Net links:        
        
Rockarchive Gallery Amsterdam ~ Jean-Pierre Leloir        
UNT Digital Library ~ Poulenc's Psychological Drama La Voix humaine      
        
YouTube links:        
        
Francis Poulenc ~     
        La Voix Humaine (Denise Duval)        
        La Voix Humaine (w/English subtitles)        
        La Voix Humaine (W/French subtitles)        
        
        
         
 
 
 
        
        
        
Styrous® ~ Sunday, January 7, 2024       
       
 
 




























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