With his third album for Arcana, Raffaele La Ragione illuminates a fascinating chapter in French musical history. He is accompanied by pianist François Dumont, who selected an exceptional 1896 Pleyel piano for this occasion, and soprano Sandrine Piau as special guest. In the 1880s and 1890s, Paris discovered a deep passion for the mandolin, further ignited by concerts at the Trocadéro during the 1878 World's Fair. In the salons of high society, the Neapolitan instrument became a symbol of elegance and exoticism, evoking the atmosphere of Southern Italy and immediately captivating poets and composers alike. This recording, made in collaboration with the Palazzetto Bru Zane, brings together original compositions, contemporary arrangements of French operas and operettas, and vocal works for mandolin, reviving the distinctive sound and undeniable charm of a salon at the turn of the century.