Daughter of Manuel García, sister of Maria Malibran, pupil of Liszt, rejecter at an early age of advances by Alfred de Musset, wife of the director of the Opéra Italien in Paris: that for a start. Thereafter centre of a circle comprising most of the famous names of Europe over a period of some 60 years. Oh, and a singer, “creator” of roles in first performances of works by Meyerbeer, Gounod, Massenet and Brahms (the Alto Rhapsody), described by Berlioz as “one of the greatest artists in the past and present history of music”.

Last year’s commemorative concert was a gala occasion. “I’m so glad you could come,” says Fanny Ardant, narrator for the evening. I could not, and am doubly regretful now as it would have been good to compare impressions of the event “live” and recorded. I imagine the actress’s presence worked like a charm. To me, the words are not always clear, but no one can resist a French accent and the timing is superb.

The singers seem at first oddly assorted. What, for instance, is Russian baritone Vladimir Chernov doing in this gallery? Answer: Viardot appeared in Russia, learnt Russian, and counted Turgenev among her (to put it mildly) friends. Antonacci may be there to represent Viardot the dramatic mezzo; von Stade, we remember, was probably the first to introduce us, years ago, to Viardot as a composer of songs. Her voice has aged, it’s true, but what a relief when a contribution by her follows the hard, unsteady tones of Antonacci.

Pauline’s songs have a certain chameleon quality – setting a poem by a colleague of Schumann, she sounds Schumannesque, dedicating a song to Berlioz, it is clearly his style she has in mind. The set is handsomely presented; Patrick O’Connor writes an eloquent tribute; David Harper is the stylish accompanist; and much work has gone on behind the scenes by a team coordinated by James Mallinson.