The Story of Babar, the Little Elephant is a composition for piano and narrator by Francis Poulenc, based on the hugely popular picture book by Jean de Brunhoff, which was published in 1931 and rapidly became a French children’s classic. The enchanting music, performed by pianist William Hancox, is based on Poulenc’s improvisations inspired by his young cousins who, bored with his practising, placed the book on the piano and asked him to ‘play the story’.

We’re delighted to welcome one of the greatest interpreters of Poulenc’s vocal music, international soprano Dame Felicity Lott to narrate the story.

The live music will be followed by a screening of Babar’s Triumph, an episode from the animated TV series released in 1989.