La voix humaine (English: The Human Voice) is a one-act opera for one character, with music by Francis Poulenc to a libretto by Jean Cocteau, based on his 1930 play. La voix humaine was first performed at the Opéra-Comique, Salle Favart in Paris on 6 February 1959. Poulenc wrote the opera for Denise Duval, the French soprano, and the premiere was conducted by Georges Prêtre. The story involves one woman on stage speaking on the telephone with her (invisible and inaudible) departing lover, who is leaving her to marry another woman.
Other sopranos who have sung the role include Karan Armstrong, Dame Josephine Barstow, June Card, Carole Farley, Sarah Gabriel, Dame Gwyneth Jones, Dame Felicity Lott, Catherine Malfitano, Audra McDonald, Julia Migenes, Maralin Niska, Jessye Norman, Magda Olivero, Gerlinde Sämann, Renata Scotto, Anja Silja, Elisabeth Söderström, Phyllis Treigle, and Galina Vishnevskaya.
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