Le Chevalier de Saint-George - Portrait

Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint-Georges was a fencer, dancer, soldier, conductor, and violinist, his accomplishments made all the more remarkable by the racism he encountered as a Guadeloupian in 18th-century France. Bologne was also a fine composer, and this fascinating double-album provides an ideal introduction to his music. The bracing overture to Bologne’s opera L’Amant anonyme (The Anonymous Lover) could easily be mistaken for his contemporary Mozart, and a clutch of excerpts from the opera whet the appetite for more. Among these, the heartfelt ariette “Du tendre amour,” winningly sung by soprano Lauranne Oliva, and the vivacious ballet music are obvious highlights. Théotime Langlois de Swarte is the sparkling soloist in Bologne’s Violin Concerto in C Major, and also in the effervescent Violin Sonata in G Minor. The playing of the Orchestre de l’Opéra Royal is outstandingly sharp throughout, clearly communicating the infectious zest and elegance of the Chevalier’s style.