Cinq mélodies "de Venise"

Composed in 1891, the cycle is based on five poems by Paul Verlaine,[1] from the collections Fêtes galantes and Romances sans paroles.

He used a similar technique for his later song cycle La bonne chanson,[3] which was also based on Verlaine's poetry.

[5] He was staying in the Palazzo Volkoff (or Wolkoff) on the Grand Canal,[6] as a guest of Winnaretta Singer,[5] the future Princess de Polignac.

[7] Among Singer's other guests were the painter Ernest Ange Duez and his wife Amélie.

[1] The idea of creating a cycle seems to have come to Fauré only after his return to Paris on 20 June.