One of the most successful operas of the 20th century, Dialogues des Carmélites is a rare, modern work that is equally esteemed by audiences and experts alike. The opera focuses on a young member of an order of Carmélite nuns, the aristocratic Blanche de la Force, who must overcome a pathological timidity in order to answer her life’s calling. The score reflects the genius of Francis Poulenc with a setting that takes place between 1789 and 1794 in Paris and in the town of Compiègne France.