From the mid-1820s onwards Auber’s career was filled with success. His opéras-comiques and grands opéras won repeated acclaim for their myriad qualities of Parisian elegance. The fifth volume in this series features two of his Sicilian operas and both centre on well-delineated female characters. Brimming with grace, charm and lyricism, the extensive ballet from Zerline exemplifies why Auber’s music was so popular. Philippe Musard’s Quadrille No. 2 on themes from Zanetta shows the extent of Auber’s contemporary popularity and is a revealing cultural souvenir of the period.