Poulenc wrote two ballets, the suites from which feature on this recording. Fusing together musical styles from various periods and genres enabled him to construct the largely plot-free narrative of Les Biches, a sequence of captivating dances that explore many themes which were considered taboo at the time. In Les Animaux modèles, Poulenc transforms the animals of La Fontaine’s fables into human characters in a patchwork score brimming with colour, wit and self-borrowings. The Sinfonietta is playful and light-hearted.