La Voix Humaine

7 Dec 2018 1pm - 2pm

Clothworkers Centenary Concert Hall

Lorna James (soprano) Christopher Pelly (piano) Emma Black (director)

One act opera by Francis Poulenc performed by soprano Lorna James (current Chorus member of Opera North), with musical direction by Chris Pelly and stage direction by Emma Black (both alumni of the University of Leeds).

La Voix Humaine follows the plight of an unnamed Parisian woman (Elle) as she desperately tries to contact her former lover in the aftermath of their recent breakup. During their fragmented conversations, secrets are revealed and the past is relived, before culminating in a devastating conclusion.

The opera explores the tension between what we feel and what we say, and seeks to shed some light on the flawed nature of human communication despite continuing advances in technology. Based on the 1930 Jean Cocteau play of the same name, the opera was written in 1959, and its themes about technology, communication and heartbreak are still as relevant today as they were when it was first written.

Please check times with event organiser for any last minute changes.

Please contact concerts@leeds.ac.uk if you require help with access.