Une voix dans le désert
Une voix dans le désert ("A Voice in the Desert") is a recitation, with a soprano soloist and orchestra, written by the English composer Edward Elgar in 1915 as his Op. 77. The French words are by the Belgian poet Émile Cammaerts. It was first produced, in London at the Shaftesbury Theatre, on 29 January 1916, with the recitation by the Belgian dramatic performer Carlo Liten, the soprano Olga Lynn, and an orchestra conducted by the composer. The words were translated into English by Cammaerts' wife, Tita Brand. The work was published as a piano  reduction (the vocal parts with piano accompaniment) by Elkin & Co. in 1916. Synopsis. The reality was horrific. In August 1914 Belgium had been invaded by the German army: the big cities had been destroyed, the carnage on both sides was incalculable and King Albert and his army were driven to the banks of the river Yser in West Flanders. "The Pall Mall Gazette" in review of "Une voix dans le désert" described the scene on stage: