Dialogues of the Carmelites (in French, Dialogues es Carmélites), is an opera in three acts by Francis Poulenc. In 1953, M. Valcarenghi approached Poulenc to commission a ballet for La Scala in Milan; when Poulenc found the proposed subject uninspiring, Valcarenghi suggested instead the screenplay by Georges Bernanos, based on the novella Die Letzte am Schafott (The Last on the Scaffold), by Gertrud von le Fort. Von le Fort's story was based in turn on historical events which took place at a Carmelite convent in Compiègne during the French Revolution (see Martyrs of Compiegne). Some sources credit Emmet Lavery as librettist or co-librettist, but others only say "With the permission of Emmet Lavery." According to the article by Ivry, Lavery owned the theatrical rights to the story, and following a legal judgement over the copyright, his name must be given in connection with all staged performances.