In the winter of 1922-1923 I often went to the small Trianon Lyrique, a modest and charming theatre of long standing. Louis Masson, its director, was a serious musician and excellent conductor, with a firm baton and very fine taste. He gave unpretentious performances there which were perfectly executed. He deserves gratitude for the courage which he put on works of high musical value which the official theatres had, alas! Cast aside as old-fashioned and no longer attractive to the general public. This attitude of the great theatres is all the more deplorable in that, while depriving well-informed musicians of infallible enjoyment, it lets slip an opportunity for educating the public and directing their taste in a favourable direction. For my own part, I took great pleasure in these performances, especially Cimarosa’s ‘Secret Mariage’ and Gounod’s ‘Philémon et Baucis’. In hearing this latter opera I once again experienced the charm which emanates from the intimate aroma of Gounod’s music. Diaghileff was as much in love with it as I was, and this gave us the idea of looking through his works in the hope of finding forgotten pieces. << less