The Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal led by violinist Théotime Langlois de Swarte offer a unique survey of the music of Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges, drawn from varied performance contexts:  sonatas for piano and violin, string quartets, concertos, opéras-comiques, concert arias, and symphonies. “His music — that of a performer-composer, as it was the case for most musicians of the period — served a function of representation: to write the concerto he himself would have to play at the next concert,” says Langlois de Swarte. “It was essential to make the greatest possible impression on the audience, with technique and virtuosity being among his most valuable assets.” The 2-CD album includes music from the operas L’Amant anonyme and Ernestine, the Violin Concerto in C Major, Op. 3, No. 2, the String Quartet Op. 1, No. 4, and various rarities recorded for the first time.