The “Historiques” collection is devoted to reissuing historic recordings linked to particular performers. This time the focus is on the singer Pierre d’Assy (Liège 1868 - Lyon 1910). Although he died young, this bass achieved a remarkable international career. The quality of his voice is here magnificently restored in a typical operatic repertoire from the turn of the 19th to 20th centuries – Verdi, Gounod, Massenet - plus Mozart, Meyerbeer, Rossini, Berlioz and others, in recordings dating from 1908 and 1909. Meticulous remastering work and the restoration of the correct pitches (the speed of 78 rpm was far from consistent) make it hard to believe that all this dates from more than a century ago. The booklet in four languages is lavishly presented and generously illustrated with rare documents.